Episodi
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The clear-winged, yellow-bellied moths made an improbable journey from the jungle of Guyana to Pontardawe in South Wales before being discovered. One was spotted on a windowsill at home by ecologist Daisy Cadet, whose mother had visited South America on a photography trip three months earlier. The pair later found the remains of two cocoons in the bag she'd used to carry her boots on the journey.
这些翅膀透明、腹部呈黄色的飞蛾在被发现之前完成了一段不可思议的旅程：从圭亚那的雨林来到了南威尔士庞特道埃。生态学家黛西·卡德特在家中的窗台上发现了其中一只飞蛾，而她的母亲在三个月前曾前往南美洲旅行和摄影。此后，这对母女在母亲旅行中用来装靴子的袋子里找到了两个蛹的遗骸。
With the help of the Natural History Museum, DNA analysis confirmed the moths were a previously unrecorded species – something Daisy struggled to comprehend.
在自然历史博物馆的帮助下，遗传物质分析确认了这些飞蛾属于一种从未被记录过的物种，这让黛西感到费解。
Experts say clearwing moths are notoriously difficult to find, even by professionals. The fact that they survived a cold, Welsh winter after landing so far from home is even more remarkable.
专家表示，众所周知，即便是专业人士也很难找到透翅蛾。而这些飞蛾在来到远离家园的地方后，在威尔士寒冷的冬季存活了下来这个事实更加引人注目。
词汇表
clear-winged 翅膀透明的
yellow-bellied 腹部呈黄色的
spotted 发现了
windowsill 窗台，窗沿
remains 遗骸，残骸
cocoons 蛹
notoriously 众所周知的
remarkable 不寻常的，引人注意的 -
So, you've reached an intermediate level of English – congrats! You can understand most things about familiar topics and can express yourself in most situations. But maybe you've been here a while, and now you're stuck in what we call the 'intermediate plateau'. Often when we begin learning something, progress is fast and noticeable, but perhaps now it's difficult to see your improvements. Let's see if some new ideas can propel your learning forward.
所以，您已经达到了中级英语水平 - 恭喜！您可以理解大多数熟悉主题的内容，并可以在大多数情况下表达自己。但也许你已经在这里有一段时间了，现在你陷入了我们所说的“中间高原”。通常当我们开始学习某些东西时，进步是快速且明显的，但也许现在很难看到你的进步。让我们看看一些新想法是否可以推动您的学习进步。
If your study routine mostly consists of flash cards and grammar exercises, it's time to switch it up. In an article called 'The four strands' by Paul Nation, he suggests that while such exercises are important for building a strong foundation, we should also make time for more meaning-focused learning. That means lots of reading and listening, with a focus on gaining knowledge and enjoyment from the topic itself and learning new vocabulary through context clues. That way, you immerse yourself in the language and get a feel for how it's used in the real world.
如果您的学习日程主要由闪存卡和语法练习组成，那么是时候改变它了。在 Paul Nation 撰写的一篇名为“四股线”的文章中，他建议虽然此类练习对于打下坚实的基础很重要，但我们也应该腾出时间进行更注重意义的学习。这意味着大量的阅读和听力，重点是从主题本身中获取知识和乐趣，并通过上下文线索学习新词汇。这样，您就可以沉浸在该语言中并了解它在现实世界中的使用方式。
But don't stop there! Next, you've got to actually produce the language in a purposeful way. According to Merrill Swain's 'Output Hypothesis', speaking helps us to notice holes in our knowledge that we can then work on. Speaking also gives us the chance to experiment with language and, following feedback, either correct or maintain it. What about fluency? Fluency is using what you already know smoothly and quickly, without focusing on learning new words. Set a timer and talk to yourself about a topic, then repeat, setting a shorter timer each time.
但不要就此止步！接下来，您必须以有目的地的方式实际生成该语言。根据梅里尔·斯温（Merrill Swain）的“输出假说”，说话可以帮助我们发现知识中的漏洞，然后我们可以进行弥补。口语还让我们有机会尝试语言，并根据反馈纠正或维持语言。流畅度怎么样？流利度是指流畅、快速地使用你已经知道的东西，而不是专注于学习新单词。设置一个计时器并与自己谈论一个主题，然后重复，每次设置一个较短的计时器。
Breaking through the intermediate plateau is tricky. But, the key is not to rely on just one type of activity. Experiment with a well-balanced approach, varied materials, and above all, enjoy yourself, and you'll start seeing incremental improvements that'll send you on your way to master English at a higher level.
突破中间平台是很棘手的。但是，关键是不要仅依赖一种类型的活动。尝试平衡的方法、不同的材料，最重要的是，享受自己，你会开始看到渐进的进步，这将让你走上更高水平掌握英语的道路。
词汇表
stuck 难住了，卡住了
intermediate plateau 中级瓶颈期，长期处于学习的中级阶段
propel 推进，推动
flash card （有单词或图片的）教学卡片
switch it up 改变做法从而获得提升
strong foundation 坚实的基础
context clue 语境提示
immerse oneself in 将自己沉浸在…中
get a feel for (something) 通过体验感受（某事）
output 输出
fluency 流利程度
break through 突破
tricky 困难的
incremental 逐步增加的
master 熟练掌握 -
Episodi mancanti?
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Fruit flies can walk, hover and the males can even sing love songs to woo females. All this, and these flies have a brain that's tinier than a pinhead. Researchers have taken a closer look and found that it's a tangle of more than 130,000 separate wires called neurons – all packed together, making more than 50 million separate connections to each other.
果蝇能行走和盘旋，雄性果蝇甚至能够通过唱 “情歌” 来追求雌性的芳心。果蝇虽然具备这些能力，它们的大脑却比针头还小。研究人员通过更进一步的观察发现，果蝇的大脑是一团缠结在一起的 13 万个独立 “导线”，即神经元。这些神经元之间形成了超过 5000 万个独立的连接。
It's taken them ten years, using advanced artificial intelligence systems, to identify its detailed structure, composition and connections. In essence, a wiring diagram, scientifically called the fly connectome.
科学家们花了十年的时间，使用先进的人工智能系统辨认出了果蝇大脑的详细结构、组成部分和连接方式。从本质上说，科学家们建立了一个接线图，科学上称之为苍蝇脑连接组。
Even though human brains are a million times larger than a fly's, Dr Gregory Jefferis of the Medical Research Council Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Cambridge says that the new connectome is the first step in truly understanding, not just how fly brains work, but ours, too. That's because there are likely to be similarities in the way they're both wired.
虽然人类大脑比苍蝇大脑大 100 多万倍，但位于剑桥的医学研究委员会分子生物学实验室的格雷戈里·杰弗里斯博士表示，这次研究建立的苍蝇脑连接组是真正理解大脑运作机制的第一步，不论是对于苍蝇大脑还是人类大脑来说。这是因为这两种大脑的神经连接方式很可能有相似之处。
It will take decades to have a complete map of the human brain. But this analysis of fruit flies is the start of a new, deeper understanding of our own minds.
绘制人类大脑的完整图谱还需要几十年的时间。但对果蝇大脑的分析是一个起点：我们对自身的大脑也将有一个更新、更深刻的认识。
词汇表
hover 盘旋
woo 追求
pinhead 针头
tangle 缠结的一团
neurons 神经元
in essence 本质上
molecular biology 分子生物学
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What do these three things have in common: a grumpy baby, Harry Potter puppets singing, and a challenge where you pour a bucket of icy water over your head? The answer – they have all 'gone viral'.
这三件事有什么共同点：脾气暴躁的婴儿、哈利·波特木偶的歌声以及将一桶冰水倒在头上的挑战？答案是——它们都“病毒式传播”了。
The world is becoming more and more digital, and we can't stop it. While growing up, instead of wanting to be a doctor or a teacher, some now aspire to be an influencer or content creator, maybe in the hope of suddenly capturing widespread attention. It's generally agreed that if your content reaches over 1 million views in a week or less, you have 'gone viral'. So, how does virality happen?
世界变得越来越数字化，我们无法阻止。在成长过程中，有些人现在不再想成为一名医生或教师，而是渴望成为一名有影响力的人或内容创造者，也许是希望突然引起广泛的关注。人们普遍认为，如果您的内容在一周或更短的时间内浏览量超过 100 万次，那么您就已经“病毒式传播”。那么，病毒式传播是如何发生的呢？
The marketing tech company Unruly analysed over 400 billion videos and found that emotional connections, like humour and shock value, resonate the most strongly. These emotional elements drive us to share that content with others, and the more shares we have, the more seen that content will be. We should also think about why people want to share content in the first place. Dr Jonah Berger, a Marketing Professor at the Wharton School, says "Sharing allows us to feel connected to others. We share emotions, which allow us to deepen the bonds we have with our peers and with our friends". So, while we may be behind a screen, we're still online because we want to connect and communicate with others, and going viral is driven by organic sharing, just like word of mouth but in a digital sense.
营销科技公司 Unruly 分析了超过 4000 亿个视频，发现幽默和震撼价值等情感联系最能引起强烈共鸣。这些情感元素促使我们与他人分享该内容，我们分享的内容越多，该内容被看到的次数就越多。我们还应该首先考虑为什么人们想要分享内容。沃顿商学院营销学教授 Jonah Berger 博士表示：“分享让我们感受到与他人的联系。我们分享情感，这让我们加深与同事和朋友的联系。” 因此，虽然我们可能在屏幕后面，但我们仍然在线，因为我们想与他人联系和沟通，而病毒式传播是由有机共享驱动的，就像数字意义上的口碑传播一样。
Though there are other things to consider. Datadab, a marketing agency, says that our brains are wired to enjoy and recognise patterns, which they say is why internet memes often go viral. If we are already familiar with a theme, like a recognisable image on a meme, then it doesn't take long for us to understand the context of a new caption, which our brain enjoys and makes us more likely to share it.
尽管还有其他事情需要考虑。营销机构 Datadab 表示，我们的大脑天生喜欢享受和识别模式，他们说这就是互联网迷因经常流行的原因。如果我们已经熟悉一个主题，比如模因上的可识别图像，那么我们不需要很长时间就能理解新标题的上下文，我们的大脑喜欢它，并使我们更有可能分享它。
Timeliness and relevance are also crucial. Content that is relatable, or that aligns with current trends, captures more interest and encourages more sharing. So, combine all of these factors and you could have content that goes viral.
及时性和相关性也至关重要。相关的内容或符合当前趋势的内容会吸引更多兴趣并鼓励更多分享。因此，将所有这些因素结合起来，您就可以获得病毒式传播的内容。
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In the Japanese village of Kamimomi, a small group of farmers began gathering their rice in extreme heat, two weeks earlier than usual.
在日本的上莫米村，一小群农民开始在酷暑中收割稻谷，比平时提前了两周。
Kamimomi is in Japan’s western Okayama prefecture. The area is called "the Land of Sunshine" because of its good weather. But farmers working in the mountainside rice fields say climate change is hurting the harvest of rice.
上莫米位于日本西部的冈山县。该地区气候宜人，被称为“阳光之国”。但在山腰稻田劳作的农民表示，气候变化正在损害水稻的收成。
Joji Terasaka farms in Okayama. He said last year a hot period dried up the rice. He added, "I am worried about that this year because it will be just as hot."
冈山寺坂丈二农场。他说去年炎热的天气使稻米干涸。他补充道：“我很担心今年，因为今年也会一样热。”
This year Japan had its hottest July on record. The Japan weather agency said temperatures were 2.16 degrees Celsius higher than average. Worldwide, there has been a 1.2-degree Celsius rise in average temperature since 1850.
今年日本经历了有记录以来最热的七月。日本气象厅表示，气温比平均水平高出 2.16 摄氏度。自 1850 年以来，全球平均气温上升了 1.2 摄氏度。
Scientists agreed that warming needs to be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
科学家们一致认为，升温需要限制在 1.5 摄氏度以内，以防止气候变化造成最严重的影响。
Last year, Japan had a poor rice harvest nationwide because of unusually hot weather.
去年，由于天气异常炎热，日本全国稻谷歉收。
Officials say the drop in harvest in Japan was partly responsible for a shortage of rice this summer. The low supply of rice in markets forced sellers to limit each buyer to one rice bag.
官员们表示，日本收成下降是今年夏季大米短缺的部分原因。市场上大米供应不足，迫使卖家限制每个买家只能购买一袋大米。
Yuji Masutomi is a researcher at the National Institute for Environmental Studies in Tsukuba, north of Tokyo. He said, "Perhaps people think that an increase of one degree Celsius in average temperature isn't much. But it's quite a big change for plants and crops."
Yuji Masutomi 是东京北部筑波国立环境研究所的研究员。他说：“也许人们认为平均气温升高一摄氏度并不算多，但对于植物和农作物来说却是一个很大的变化。”
Masutomi said the rising temperatures also hurt the quality of the grain. Last year, the farming ministry noted that at least one-fifth of rice farms have reported a drop in quality from rising temperatures. "Not only is the appearance not good; people say the taste drops too," Masutomi said.
Masutomi说，气温上升也损害了谷物的质量。去年，农业部指出，至少五分之一的稻田报告称，由于气温升高，稻米品质下降。“不仅外观不好，人们都说味道也下降了，”增富说。
Another problem the farmers in Kamimomi face is working under high heat. The average age of agricultural workers in Japan is nearly 69, among the oldest in the world. Older people are especially likely to suffer from the heat. For half of the year, farmers work in the heat to produce rice.
上莫米农民面临的另一个问题是在高温下工作。日本农业工人的平均年龄接近69岁，是世界上最长寿的国家之一。老年人尤其容易受到高温的影响。半年的时间里，农民们冒着酷暑辛苦生产水稻。
To deal with climate change, the government is urging the use of heat-resistant varieties of rice. One strain, developed by a research center near Tokyo, is called Sai no Kizuna.
为了应对气候变化，政府正在敦促使用耐热稻米品种。其中一种菌株是由东京附近的一个研究中心开发的，称为“Sai no Kizuna”。
Naoto Ohoka manages rice breeding at Saitama's Agricultural Technology Research Center. Ohoka said, "Last year and this year have been extremely hot, but even in those conditions, Sai no Kizuna maintained a certain level of quality.”
大霍直人 (Naoto Ohoka) 在埼玉县农业技术研究中心负责水稻育种工作。大霍卡说：“去年和今年都非常炎热，但即使在这样的条件下，彩之绊也保持了一定的质量水平。
”Sai no Kizuna was developed in 2012 to better survive high heat, wind and certain pests and diseases. Masutomi recommends that similar varieties of rice should be introduced across Japan by the 2040s.
Sai no Kizuna 于 2012 年开发，旨在更好地抵抗高温、大风和某些病虫害。Masutomi 建议到 2040 年代在日本各地引入类似的稻米品种。
But it can take up to 10 years to develop a new strain. After it is approved for the market, farmers must then decide to grow it.
但开发新菌株可能需要长达 10 年的时间。在批准上市后，农民必须决定种植它。
The most widely grown strain of rice is Koshihikari, which does not do well in high heat. Even so, older farmers have not always been willing to change to other varieties. Farming ministry data show that heat-resistant varieties grow in only around 15 percent of Japanese rice fields.
种植最广泛的水稻品种是越光水稻，它在高温下生长不佳。即便如此，老年农民并不总是愿意改种其他品种。农林水产省的数据显示，日本仅有 15% 左右的稻田种植耐热品种。
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Researchers say a large fish that was thought to have disappeared from Asia’s Mekong River has been seen in the waterway in recent years.
研究人员表示，一种被认为从亚洲湄公河消失的大型鱼类近年来在该水道中被发现。
The fish is called a giant salmon carp. A recent study detailed the most recent sightings of the fish. The lead writer of that study said the fish was seen at least three times between 2020 and 2023.
这种鱼被称为巨型鲑鱼。最近的一项研究详细介绍了最近看到的这种鱼。该研究的主要作者表示，这种鱼在 2020 年至 2023 年间至少出现过 3 次。
The predatory fish can grow to more than one meter in length and has an identifiable yellow spot surrounding its large eyes.
这种掠食性鱼类可以长到一米多长，大眼睛周围有一个可识别的黄色斑点。
The Mekong River is Southeast Asia’s longest river. It passes through China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. About 60 million people depend on the river for food and survival. It is also an important environment for numerous river creatures.
湄公河是东南亚最长的河流。途经中国、老挝、泰国、缅甸、柬埔寨、越南。大约 6000 万人依赖这条河获取食物和生存。它也是众多河流生物的重要环境。
The leader of the research was Chheana Chhut. He is with the Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. “The giant salmon carp is like a symbol of the Mekong region,” Chheana recently told The Associated Press.
这项研究的领导者是 Chheana Chhut。他在柬埔寨金边的内陆渔业研究与发展研究所工作。“巨型鲑鱼就像湄公河地区的象征，”切阿纳最近告诉美联社。
He was the co-writer with other researchers of a study announcing the findings in the publication Biological Conservation. Chheana said researchers had believed that the last confirmed sighting of the fish in the Mekong was in 2005.
他与其他研究人员共同撰写了一项研究，并在《生物保护》杂志上公布了研究结果。Chheana 表示，研究人员认为最后一次确认在湄公河中发现这种鱼是在 2005 年。
But since 2017, biologists following the movements of migratory fish in Cambodia developed relationships with local fishing communities. They asked people in the communities to inform them of any unusual sightings.
但自 2017 年以来，追踪柬埔寨洄游鱼类活动的生物学家与当地渔业社区建立了关系。他们要求社区里的人们告知他们任何异常的目击事件。
That process led to the finding that three giant salmon carp were identified in the Mekong River and a neighboring waterway in Cambodia between 2020 and 2023.
这一过程导致发现 2020 年至 2023 年间在湄公河和柬埔寨邻近水道中发现了 3 条巨型鲑鱼。
Bunyeth Chan is a researcher at Cambodia’s Svay Rieng University. He helped lead the research. Bunyeth told the AP, “I was really surprised and excited to see the real fish for the first time.”
Bunyeth Chan 是柬埔寨柴桢大学的研究员。他帮助领导了这项研究。班尼斯告诉美联社，“第一次看到真正的鱼，我感到非常惊讶和兴奋。
” Researchers say the sightings give them new hope for the future of the species. Another name used for the species is “ghost fish.”
研究人员表示，这些目击事件给他们对该物种的未来带来了新的希望。该物种的另一个名称是“幽灵鱼”。
“This rediscovery is very exciting, positive news,” said Zeb Hogan. He is a fish biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, who was part of the research team.
“这一重新发现是非常令人兴奋的积极消息，”泽布·霍根说。他是内华达大学里诺分校的鱼类生物学家，也是该研究小组的成员。
But the problems the fish experienced also demonstrate the dangers facing all migratory species in the Mekong. The huge river faces industrial pollution and overfishing, among other problems.
但鱼类所经历的问题也表明了湄公河所有迁徙物种所面临的危险。这条大河面临着工业污染和过度捕捞等问题。
Brian Eyler is director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. He was was not involved in the research. Eyler said one issue is that more than 700 dams are built along the river and neighboring waterways. In addition, there are very few workable “fish passages” that help species avoid obstructions.
布莱恩·艾勒是华盛顿特区史汀生中心东南亚项目主任。他没有参与这项研究。艾勒说，一个问题是沿河和邻近水道修建了 700 多座水坝。此外，能够帮助物种避开障碍物的可行“鱼道”非常少。
The Greater Mekong area includes Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.
大湄公河地区包括越南、柬埔寨、老挝、泰国和缅甸。
The researchers said they hope that cooperation with local communities in Thailand and Laos will permit them to confirm whether the fish also still swims in other parts of the Mekong.
研究人员表示，他们希望与泰国和老挝当地社区的合作能够让他们确认这种鱼是否仍然在湄公河的其他地区游泳。
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South Korean researchers have developed a drone designed to stay level when transporting goods over many kinds of surfaces.
韩国研究人员开发了一种无人机，旨在在多种表面上运输货物时保持水平。
A team at Seoul National University of Science and Technology built a prototype, or test model of the drone. The team recently demonstrated the aircraft for reporters from Reuters.
首尔国立科技大学的一个团队构建了无人机的原型或测试模型。该团队最近向路透社记者展示了这架飞机。
The prototype has a transport carrier attached to a drone structure. It is supported by several propellers and rotors that control its height, speed and direction in the air. The aircraft has a handle workers can push to guide it where it needs to go.
该原型机有一个连接到无人机结构的运输载体。它由多个螺旋桨和旋翼支撑，控制其在空中的高度、速度和方向。飞机有一个手柄，工作人员可以推动以引导飞机前往需要的地方。
Members of the development team showed how the drone can keep itself level while floating, even when transporting goods up or down stairs. Leaders of the research say the drone is programmed to predict human actions for effective interactions.
开发团队成员展示了无人机如何在漂浮时保持水平，甚至在上下楼梯运输货物时也是如此。该研究的领导者表示，无人机经过编程可以预测人类的行为，以实现有效的互动。
Lee Seung-jae is a professor of mechanical system design engineering at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He was a leader of the project. The research results appeared in a study in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters. The publication is part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, based in New York.
Lee Seung-jae 是首尔国立科技大学机械系统设计工程教授。他是该项目的领导者。研究结果发表在《IEEE 机器人与自动化快报》的一项研究中。该出版物是纽约电气和电子工程师协会的一部分。
Lee told Reuters tests of the drone showed it could transport objects up to 3 kilograms. He admitted this weight restriction likely limits the drone’s use cases for many businesses. But he noted that the transporter’s design and operating equipment could be used to create a series of other kinds of drone vehicles.
Lee 告诉路透社，无人机的测试表明它可以运输重达 3 公斤的物体。他承认这种重量限制可能会限制无人机在许多企业中的使用案例。但他指出，运输机的设计和操作设备可用于制造一系列其他类型的无人机。
Lee said one example would be to use the transporter to carry sensitive or breakable materials. The technology could also be used to develop “flying taxis” to transport humans, he added.
李说，一个例子是使用运输车运输敏感或易碎材料。他补充说，该技术还可用于开发“飞行出租车”来运送人类。
When used in a flying taxi, Lee said the drones could be used to change batteries while still flying in the air, instead of having to return to a ground station for recharging.
李说，当用于飞行出租车时，无人机可以在空中飞行时更换电池，而不必返回地面站充电。
In general, experts say drones with multiple propellers are easier to control and move in many different settings. But they are also slower and cannot travel as far on a battery charge.
一般来说，专家表示，具有多个螺旋桨的无人机在许多不同的环境中更容易控制和移动。但它们的速度也较慢，并且无法通过电池充电行驶那么远的距离。
Drones with multiple rotors have already been used to transport small amounts of goods, food and medical supplies. But experts say it is difficult to widely expand use of such drones for commercial purposes. This is because such activities would require larger batteries a smaller aircraft could not support.
具有多个旋翼的无人机已被用于运输少量货物、食品和医疗用品。但专家表示，很难广泛扩大此类无人机的商业用途。这是因为此类活动需要更大的电池，而较小的飞机无法支持。
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A new government study suggests U.S. teen smoking rates reached an all-time low this year.
一项新的政府研究表明，今年美国青少年吸烟率达到历史最低点。
The study was a survey of American youth carried out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
该研究是美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）对美国青少年进行的一项调查。
The survey involved middle school students – which includes grades six through eight – and high school students in grades nine through 12. Nearly 30,000 students from 283 U.S. schools took part in the effort, which was carried out from January to May.
这项调查涉及中学生（包括 6 至 8 年级）和 9 至 12 年级的高中生。这项调查于 1 月至 5 月进行，共有来自 283 所美国学校的近 3 万名学生参与。
An estimated 33 percent of youth took part in the voluntary survey.
据估计，有 33% 的年轻人参加了这项自愿调查。
The study showed a 20 percent drop in the number of middle and high school students who said they recently used at least one tobacco product. These include cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, nicotine patches and hookahs.
研究显示，表示最近至少使用过一种烟草产品的初中生和高中生人数下降了 20%。其中包括香烟、电子烟、尼古丁贴片和水烟袋。
That number decreased from 2.8 million last year to 2.25 million this year. The result suggested the change was the lowest usage rate of those products since the CDC survey began in 1999.
这一数字从去年的 280 万减少到今年的 225 万。结果表明，这是自 1999 年 CDC 调查开始以来这些产品的最低使用率。
The Associated Press (AP) reports the drop is largely explained by another recent government survey showing e-cigarette use among U.S. youth in 2024 fell to its lowest level in 10 years.
美联社 (AP) 报道称，这一下降的主要原因是政府最近的另一项调查显示，到 2024 年，美国青少年的电子烟使用量将降至 10 年来的最低水平。
The youth e-cigarette rate fell to under six percent this year, a drop of 7.7 percent over last year. That was the lowest rate at any time during the past 10 years. Government records show e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products among teens. The second most common is the nicotine patch.
今年青少年电子烟使用率降至6%以下，比去年下降7.7%。这是过去十年来最低的比率。政府记录显示，电子烟是青少年最常用的烟草产品。第二个最常见的是尼古丁贴片。
In 1999, nearly 30 percent of American high school students smoked. In 2024, it was just 1.7 percent. Currently, the share of middle school students who smoke is also at its lowest rate. Recent use of hookahs also dropped, from 1.1 to 0.7 percent.
1999年，近30%的美国高中生吸烟。2024 年，这一比例仅为 1.7%。目前，中学生吸烟比例也处于最低水平。最近水烟的使用率也下降了，从 1.1% 下降到 0.7%。
CDC officials said the decreases are linked to several measures. These include product cost increases, public health education campaigns, age restrictions and more aggressive enforcement actions against makers and sellers to children.
疾病预防控制中心官员表示，数量减少与多项措施有关。其中包括产品成本增加、公共卫生教育活动、年龄限制以及针对儿童制造商和销售商的更严厉的执法行动。
Among high school students, use of any tobacco product dropped from 13 to 10 percent in 2024 while e-cigarette use fell from 10 to eight percent. The survey showed there was no change reported for middle school students who generally vape or smoke less than older children.
到 2024 年，高中生中任何烟草产品的使用率将从 13% 下降至 10%，而电子烟的使用率将从 10% 下降至 8%。调查显示，与年龄较大的孩子相比，中学生吸电子烟或吸烟的次数没有变化。
The study found that tobacco use among girls and Hispanic students fell. But it rose among American Indian and Alaska Native students. The survey also showed the current use of nicotine patches increased among white youth.
研究发现，女孩和西班牙裔学生的烟草使用量有所下降。但这种现象在美洲印第安人和阿拉斯加原住民学生中有所上升。调查还显示，目前白人青年中尼古丁贴片的使用有所增加。
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The Grand National, regarded by many as the world's most famous horse race, features jockeys and horses negotiating 30 fences over more than four miles, and is watched by an estimated six hundred million people worldwide.
英国国家障碍赛马大赛被许多人认为是世界上最著名的赛马比赛，骑手们需驾驭马匹在超过四英里长的赛程中跨越30道障碍。每年全球约有六亿人观看这项赛事。
However, after the death of five horses over the last decade, including one this year, there have been calls for more safety measures to be introduced.
然而，在过去十年中有五匹赛马死亡，包括今年的一匹，这令一些人们呼吁大赛应引入更多安全保障措施。
These changes will see the maximum number of riders reduced from 40 to 34. There will also be an earlier start time and a shorter run to the first fence to slow horses down early on.
这些措施包括把同场竞技的骑手人数从40人减少到34人。比赛的开始时间将会提前，从比赛起点到第一个障碍间的距离也会缩短，以提早控制马匹的速度。
The introduction of a standing start and further veterinary checks are amongst other changes.
其它变化包括将赛马起跑方式改为静止站立起跑，以及更完善的兽医检查。
词汇表
jockeys 赛马骑手，职业骑师
negotiating 设法穿过、越过
fences 栏杆，（赛事中设置的）障碍
worldwide 全世界范围地
safety measures 安全措施
riders 骑手
run 奔跑的距离，行程
early on 在早期，尽早地
standing start 站立式起跑（此处指马匹静止站立起跑）
veterinary checks 兽医检查 -
“No pain, no gain” is an old saying in English. It means that one has to suffer or work hard in order to succeed or make progress.
“没有付出，就没有收获”是英语中的一句老话。它意味着一个人必须受苦或努力工作才能成功或取得进步。
The expression is now often used to push people to train harder or exercise more to get good effects.
现在这个词经常被用来督促人们更加努力地训练或者更多地锻炼以获得好的效果。
But just how much pain do you have to have from weight training? The answer depends on what you are trying to gain, fitness experts say.
但举重训练到底要承受多少痛苦呢？健身专家说，答案取决于你想要获得什么。
For years, some trainers have told people that to get the best results, they need to train “until failure.”
多年来，一些培训师告诉人们，为了获得最佳效果，他们需要训练“直到失败”。
Training “until failure” means that you do an exercise until you cannot do one more repetition. Some recent studies, however, suggest training “until failure” with weights may only help some people.
训练“直到失败”意味着你做一项练习直到你不能再重复一次为止。然而，最近的一些研究表明，“直到力竭”的举重训练可能只会对某些人有帮助。
“If somebody wants to increase muscle mass as much as they possibly can, then training to failure is something to consider,” said Michael Zourdos of Florida Atlantic University.
“如果有人想尽可能增加肌肉质量，那么训练到力竭是值得考虑的事情，”佛罗里达大西洋大学的迈克尔·佐尔多斯说。
Zourdos co-wrote a review of 55 research papers on the subject in the scientific publication Sports Medicine.
Zourdos 在科学出版物《运动医学》上共同撰写了对 55 篇有关该主题的研究论文的评论。
Zourdos and colleagues found that lifting weights “until failure” may build bigger muscles. But training in such a way is not needed to increase strength. He said people who work out hard, but do not push themselves to exhaustion, will still likely make their health and fitness better. “There is a difference between training for health and training for elite performance benefits,” he said.
佐尔多斯和同事发现举重“直到力竭”可能会锻炼出更大的肌肉。但这样的训练并不需要增加力量。他说，努力锻炼但不让自己精疲力尽的人仍然可能会改善自己的健康状况。“健康训练和精英表现训练之间存在差异，”他说。
For the average person simply looking to increase their fitness levels, Zourdos said it is much easier to get results. He explained people who work out regularly would benefit from an intense session that comes within five to 10 repetitions of failure.
佐尔多斯表示，对于只想提高健身水平的普通人来说，获得结果要容易得多。他解释说，经常锻炼的人会从重复 5 到 10 次失败的高强度训练中受益。
He also said “failure training” often comes at a cost. People who train until failure might be so tired and in so much pain that they skip their next workout or two.
他还表示，“失败训练”往往是要付出代价的。训练到失败的人可能会感到非常疲倦和痛苦，以至于他们跳过下一两次训练。
In rare cases, extremely difficult training can even be harmful. One example is the condition called rhabdomyolysis, where damaged muscles begin to break down, possibly causing kidney damage.
在极少数情况下，极其困难的训练甚至可能是有害的。一个例子是横纹肌溶解症，受损的肌肉开始分解，可能导致肾脏损伤。
James Fisher is a sport science expert and advisor in Southampton, England. He said many people are not interested in the idea of working until complete exhaustion.
詹姆斯·费舍尔是英国南安普敦的一位运动科学专家和顾问。他说，许多人对工作到筋疲力尽的想法不感兴趣。
“What we’re really talking about is how hard you should work when you go to the gym,” he said.
“我们真正讨论的是去健身房时应该多努力，”他说。
Fisher added that the idea should be understood to mean that people can spend less time in the gym — if they work hard.
费舍尔补充说，这个想法应该被理解为意味着人们可以花更少的时间在健身房——如果他们努力工作的话。
“If you’re short on time, then you can push yourself harder, and then you don’t need to work out as long,” he said.
“如果你时间不够，那么你可以更加努力地逼自己，然后你就不需要锻炼那么长时间了，”他说。
Fisher explained that to increase strength, it is necessary to push your muscles to a certain level.
费舍尔解释说，要增加力量，就必须将肌肉推至一定水平。
“If you lift a weight you can easily lift ten times or more, you never really work hard enough,” he said. “Now, if we increase the weight so that on the ninth and 10th rep, it feels ... hard, that will benefit your muscle...”
“如果你举起的重量可以轻松举起十次或更多，那么你就永远不够努力，”他说。“现在，如果我们增加重量，以便在第九次和第十次时，感觉......很硬，这将对你的肌肉有益......”
Still, Fisher said that the best workout is “one that people will actually do,” regardless of how hard they push themselves. He said that strength training is probably the best single thing people can do for their health, quality of life and longevity.
尽管如此，费舍尔表示，最好的锻炼是“人们实际上会做的锻炼”，无论他们多么努力地督促自己。他说，力量训练可能是人们可以为健康、生活质量和长寿做的最好的事情。
Whatever your fitness goal, Fisher said the idea of failure training can be included into your workout. People should then rest the muscle group they have trained for about two days, he said.
费舍尔表示，无论您的健身目标是什么，失败训练的想法都可以纳入您的锻炼中。他说，人们应该让他们训练过的肌肉群休息大约两天。
For people who have more experience, experts suggest saving the failure training for some of the workouts, or on the last set of exercises in your session.
对于有更多经验的人，专家建议将力竭训练保留在某些训练中，或在训练中的最后一组练习中进行。
“It’s not meant to be for every person, every time they work out,” Fisher said. “This is a tough way to exercise.”
“这并不意味着每个人、每次锻炼时都适合，”费舍尔说。“这是一种艰难的锻炼方式。”
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October 31 is Halloween. But many Americans have been preparing for the holiday for weeks. And businesses are hoping for good profits from Halloween purchases.
10月31日是万圣节。但许多美国人已经为假期做准备了数周。企业希望从万圣节采购中获得丰厚利润。
The National Retail Federation (N.R.F.) is the largest U.S. trade group representing sellers of material goods. It expects total Halloween spending in 2024 to reach about $11.6 billion. That sounds like a healthy amount, but it would be a drop from the year before. The N.R.F. says total Halloween spending in 2023 was a record-setting $12.2 billion.
全国零售联合会 (N.R.F.) 是代表物质商品销售商的美国最大贸易组织。预计 2024 年万圣节总支出将达到约 116 亿美元。这听起来是一个健康的数字，但与前一年相比会有所下降。N.R.F. 表示 2023 年万圣节总支出将达到创纪录的 122 亿美元。
So, you might wonder: What are Americans buying for Halloween and how do they celebrate the holiday?
所以，您可能想知道：美国人在万圣节买什么以及他们如何庆祝这个节日？
Halloween traditions in America are linked to Celtic beliefs in ancient Britain. The Celts believed that spirits of the dead would return to their homes on October 31, the day of the autumn feast. Celts would build huge fires to frighten away any evil spirits that might return.
美国的万圣节传统与古英国的凯尔特信仰有关。凯尔特人相信，死者的灵魂会在 10 月 31 日，即秋季盛宴的日子返回家园。凯尔特人会生火来吓走任何可能卷土重来的恶灵。
People from Scotland and Ireland brought these ideas with them when they came to America. Some believed that spirits played tricks on people on the last night of October.
来自苏格兰和爱尔兰的人们在来到美国时也带来了这些想法。有些人相信十月的最后一个晚上是鬼魂对人们进行的恶作剧。
In modern America, the holiday mostly belongs to children. After dark, children wear special clothing, called costumes. They often appear as frightening creatures like vampires, ghosts and witches. The children walk around their neighborhoods, knocking on doors of homes. When someone answers a door, the children yell “trick or treat.” If the people in the homes do not give them a sweet treat, the children may play a trick on them.
在现代美国，这个节日主要属于孩子们。天黑后，孩子们穿着特殊的衣服，称为服装。他们经常以吸血鬼、鬼魂和女巫等可怕的生物的形式出现。孩子们在社区里走来走去，敲着各家的门。当有人开门时，孩子们会大喊“不给糖就捣蛋”。如果家里的人不给他们甜食，孩子们可能会捉弄他们。
Some of the purchases people make for Halloween include candy and costumes. This year, the N.R.F. expects the superhero character Spider-Man to be the most popular children’s costume.
人们为万圣节购买的一些物品包括糖果和服装。今年，N.R.F. 预计超级英雄角色蜘蛛侠将成为最受欢迎的儿童服装。
Children are not the only Americans in costumes on Halloween, however. Adults also dress up in costumes and attend Halloween parties, parades and other events. These celebrations often include costume competitions, with prizes for the most frightening, inventive or humorous costumes.
然而，孩子们并不是唯一在万圣节穿着服装的美国人。成年人也会盛装打扮，参加万圣节派对、游行和其他活动。这些庆祝活动通常包括服装比赛，为最令人恐惧、最有创意或最幽默的服装颁发奖项。
Overall, the N.R.F. reports, total spending on costumes for Halloween 2024 is expected to reach a total of $3.8 billion. It says buyers will spend $3.5 billion on Halloween candy.
NRF 报告称，总体而言，2024 年万圣节服装的总支出预计将达到 38 亿美元。它表示，买家将在万圣节糖果上花费 35 亿美元。
Americans also enjoy decorating their homes for Halloween.
美国人也喜欢在万圣节装饰他们的家。
People hang fake skeletons, witches, spiders and other scary things around their doors and from trees and bushes. They also cut scary faces into pumpkins and light them to create a strange glow.
人们把假骷髅、女巫、蜘蛛和其他可怕的东西挂在门上、树上和灌木丛上。他们还在南瓜上刻出可怕的面孔，并点燃它们以产生奇怪的光芒。
Some people do a little decorating, others do a lot, and still others do none at all. But, the N.R.F. says researchers estimate Americans will spend about $3.8 billion dollars to dress up their houses for Halloween this year.
有些人做了一点装饰，有些人做了很多，还有一些人根本不做。但是，N.R.F. 研究人员估计，今年美国人将花费约 38 亿美元来装扮他们的房屋以庆祝万圣节。
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Octopuses are usually considered to be solitary creatures, but this study suggests they may have richer social lives than previously thought.
章鱼通常被认为是独居动物，但这个研究表明它们的社交生活可能比此前人们认为的更加丰富。
Researchers found they work together with different species of fish when hunting for prey, even making decisions on behalf of the pack and sharing leadership responsibilities. But things don't always go swimmingly. Scientists witnessed octopuses punching fish in the group, apparently, as a way of making them work harder and keeping them on task.
研究者发现，章鱼在捕猎时会和不同种类的鱼合作，甚至为这个群体作出决策并承担领导职能。但事情并不总是一帆风顺。科学家观察到，章鱼似乎会击打团队中的鱼，目的是为了让它们继续完成任务并且更加卖力地捕猎。
The authors of the study say it shows that when it comes to sentience, octopuses are closer to humans than previously thought.
这项研究的论文作者表示，章鱼的感知能力比先前估计的更接近人类。
词汇表
solitary 独自的
richer 更丰富的
prey 猎物
pack （动物的）群体
leadership responsibilities 领导职能
go swimmingly （某事）顺利进行，一帆风顺
keeping… on task 让…继续工作
sentience 感知能力
than previously thought 比先前所想的更…
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Suddenly a sound rings out, stopping you in your tracks. Panicking, you search for where it could be coming from. It's your phone, and if you're like a quarter of 18 to 34-year-olds in a recent British study, you probably won't answer it. The same study found that 70% of people in this age group prefer text messages to phone calls. Why do so many people hate phone calls?
突然，一道声音响起，让你停下了脚步。你惊慌失措，寻找它可能来自哪里。这是你的手机，如果你就像英国最近一项研究中 18 至 34 岁人群中的四分之一一样，你可能不会接听它。同一项研究发现，这个年龄段的人中有 70% 更喜欢短信而不是电话。为什么很多人讨厌打电话？
While previous generations grew up using landlines to talk to their friends, smartphone-equipped younger people have grown up accustomed to using text messages, group chats and voice notes for social conversations. What these media have in common is that they are asynchronous – they don't need to happen in real time. When you can craft a reply free of interruption, you have greater control over your contributions to a conversation. It also means that you can reply when it's best for you. Synchronous communication, like phone calls or face-to-face conversations, can lead people to feel a loss of control and the corresponding anxiety. Coupled to this is that fact that many young people report associating phone calls, particularly those without prior warning, with bad news.
前几代人是使用固定电话与朋友聊天长大的，而配备智能手机的年轻人已经习惯使用短信、群聊和语音笔记进行社交对话。这些媒体的共同点是它们是异步的——它们不需要实时发生。当您能够不受干扰地做出回复时，您就可以更好地控制自己对对话的贡献。这也意味着您可以在最适合您的时候回复。同步沟通，如电话或面对面交谈，可能会导致人们感到失控和相应的焦虑。与此相伴的是，许多年轻人报告说，他们将电话（尤其是那些没有事先警告的电话）与坏消息联系起来。
This means that new social codes are being established. Many people will now text someone to see if they're available to take a phone call. If someone doesn't feel able to sum something up in a few short messages, they might leave a long voice note. Could it be that not wanting to intrude on someone with a sudden phone call is just a question of good manners and respecting someone's boundaries?
这意味着新的社会规范正在建立。现在，许多人会发短信询问某人是否可以接听电话。如果有人觉得无法用几条短信概括一些内容，他们可能会留下很长的语音留言。难道不想突然打电话打扰别人只是出于礼貌和尊重别人的界限吗？
Maybe, but this doesn't mean that anxiety around communication has been eliminated. Texting may be asynchronous, but many people report tensions from being 'left on read' – when you know someone has read your message, but they don't, or won't, reply. Many would agree with British writer Daisy Buchanan, who reminds us how picking up the phone to talk to someone can be far more effective at relieving tension than a series of awkward messages. So, are these new social codes better at respecting boundaries, or are they just creating a whole new set of potential anxieties?
也许吧，但这并不意味着沟通方面的焦虑已经消除。短信可能是异步的，但许多人报告说，当您知道有人已阅读您的消息，但他们没有或不会回复时，“未读”会带来紧张感。许多人会同意英国作家黛西·布坎南(Daisy Buchanan)的观点，她提醒我们，拿起电话与某人交谈比一系列尴尬的信息更能有效缓解紧张情绪。那么，这些新的社会规范是否更能尊重界限，或者它们只是创造了一系列全新的潜在焦虑？
词汇表
text message 文字消息
landline 固定电话
smartphone-equipped 拥有智能手机的
group chat 群聊
voice note 语音留言
social conversation 社交聊天
media 传播媒介
asynchronous 非即时的，异步的
real time 实时
interruption 打断，干扰
contribution 贡献
synchronous 即时的，同步的
face-to-face 面对面的
anxiety 焦虑
prior warning 预先警告
social code 社交规则
text 给…发短信
available 有空的
intrude on 打扰
respect boundaries 尊重他人的界限
left on read 已读不回，发出的消息显示已读但没有收到回复
pick up 接听电话
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A new study says humanity is hitting the upper limit of life expectancy.
一项新的研究表明，人类正在达到预期寿命的上限。
Developments in medical technology and genetic research are not leading to major increases in lifespan overall, the researchers said.
研究人员表示，医疗技术和基因研究的发展并没有导致整体寿命的大幅延长。
The study was published recently in Nature Aging.
该研究最近发表在《自然衰老》杂志上。
“We have to recognize there’s a limit” and possibly change ideas about when people should retire and how much money they will need to live out their lives, said S. Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois-Chicago. Olshansky was the lead writer of the study.
伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校的 S. Jay Olshansky 表示，“我们必须认识到这是有限制的”，并可能改变人们关于何时退休以及需要多少钱来度过余生的想法。奥尔尚斯基是这项研究的主要作者。
Mark Hayward of the University of Texas was not involved in the study. However, he called it “a valuable addition to the mortality literature.”
德克萨斯大学的马克·海沃德没有参与这项研究。然而，他称其为“对死亡率文献的宝贵补充”。
“We are reaching a plateau” in life expectancy, he said.
他说，预期寿命“我们正在达到一个平台期”。
It is always possible that some new development could push survival to greater lengths, “but we don’t have that now,” Hayward said.
海沃德说，一些新的发展总是有可能将生存推向更大的长度，“但我们现在还没有这样的能力”。
Life expectancy is an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a particular year might expect to live. The measurement assumes death rates at the time of birth do not change.
预期寿命是对特定年份出生的婴儿预期寿命的平均年数的估计。该测量假设出生时的死亡率没有变化。
Life expectancy is one of the world’s most important health measures. Still the life expectancy measurement has problems. For example, life expectancy is an estimate that cannot include new developments or changes that might affect the length of people’s lives.
预期寿命是世界上最重要的健康指标之一。预期寿命的测量仍然存在问题。例如，预期寿命是一种估计值，不能包括可能影响人们寿命长度的新发展或变化。
These unknown developments could include pandemics or new treatments for diseases.
这些未知的发展可能包括流行病或疾病的新疗法。
In the recent study, Olshansky and other researchers followed life expectancy estimates for the years 1990 to 2019. They took information from a database administered by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research.
在最近的研究中，奥尔尚斯基和其他研究人员跟踪了 1990 年至 2019 年的预期寿命估计。他们从马克斯·普朗克人口研究所管理的数据库中获取信息。
The researchers paid special attention to eight of the places in the world where people live the longest: Australia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain and Switzerland.
研究人员特别关注了世界上人们寿命最长的八个地方：澳大利亚、法国、香港、意大利、日本、韩国、西班牙和瑞士。
The United States does not rank in the top 40, but it was included in the study because the researchers live in the U.S. Also, some experts have made estimates that life expectancy in the U.S. would increase greatly in the 2000s, Olshansky said.
奥尔尚斯基表示，美国并未进入前40名，但由于研究人员居住在美国，因此被纳入研究范围。此外，一些专家估计，美国的预期寿命将在2000年代大幅增加。
Women continue to live longer than men. Female life expectancy improvements are still happening — but at a slower rate, the researchers found. In 1990, the average amount of improvement was about 2.5 years every 10 years. In the 2010s, it was 1.5 years — but almost zero in the United States.
女性的寿命仍然比男性长。研究人员发现，女性预期寿命仍在延长，但速度较慢。1990年，平均每10年改善2.5年左右。2010 年代，这个数字是 1.5 年——但在美国几乎为零。
Life expectancy measurements in the U.S. are more difficult. The country is affected by a number of causes of early death. Examples include drug overdoses, shootings, weight problems and uneven health care services.
美国的预期寿命测量更加困难。该国受到多种早逝原因的影响。例子包括药物过量、枪击、体重问题和医疗保健服务不均衡。
But in one calculation, the researchers estimated what would happen in all nine places if all deaths before age 50 were prevented. The increase at best was still only 1.5 years, Olshansky said.
但在一项计算中，研究人员估计了如果 50 岁之前的所有死亡都被避免的话，所有九个地方将会发生什么。奥尔尚斯基说，最好的情况是增加了 1.5 年。
The study suggests that there is a limit to how long most people live, and we have almost hit it, Olshansky said.
奥尔尚斯基说，这项研究表明，大多数人的寿命是有极限的，而我们几乎已经达到了极限。
“We’re squeezing less and less life out of these life-extending technologies. And the reason is, aging gets in the way,” he said.
“我们从这些延长生命的技术中榨取的生命越来越少。原因是，衰老会成为障碍，”他说。
It may seem common to hear of a person living to 100. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, for example, recently celebrated his 100th birthday.
听说有人活到 100 岁似乎很常见。例如，美国前总统吉米·卡特 (Jimmy Carter) 最近庆祝了他的 100 岁生日。
In 2019, a little over two percent of Americans made it to 100, compared to about five percent in Japan and nine percent in Hong Kong, Olshansky said.
奥尔尚斯基说，2019 年，略高于 2% 的美国人达到了 100 岁，而日本和香港的这一比例约为 5% 和 9%。
It is likely that the number of people who reach 100 will grow in the years ahead, experts say, but that is because of population growth. The percentage of people hitting 100 will remain limited, likely with fewer than 15 percent of women and 5 percent of men making it that long in most countries, Olshansky said.
专家表示，未来几年，活到 100 岁的人数可能会增加，但这是因为人口增长。奥尔尚斯基表示，活到 100 岁的人口比例仍然有限，在大多数国家，能活到 100 岁的女性和男性可能只有不到 15% 和 5%。
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In Pakistan, polio cases are rising ahead of a new vaccination campaign. Violence targeting health workers has also hurt years of efforts toward making the country polio-free.
在巴基斯坦，在新的疫苗接种活动之前，脊髓灰质炎病例正在上升。针对卫生工作者的暴力行为也损害了该国多年来为消除脊髓灰质炎所做的努力。
The World Health Organization says polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. The disease largely affects children under age five. The virus is transmitted from person to person and spread mainly through contact. It invades the nervous system and causes a person to be unable to move arms, legs or muscles, a condition called paralysis. Among those paralyzed, up to 10 percent die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.
世界卫生组织表示，脊髓灰质炎是一种由病毒引起的高度传染性疾病。这种疾病主要影响五岁以下的儿童。该病毒在人与人之间传播，主要通过接触传播。它侵入神经系统，导致人无法移动手臂、腿或肌肉，这种情况称为瘫痪。在瘫痪者中，高达 10% 的人因呼吸肌肉无法活动而死亡。
Since January, health officials have confirmed 39 new polio cases in Pakistan, compared to only six last year, said Anwarul Haq. He is with the National Emergency Operation Center for Polio Eradication. Eradication means getting rid of something completely.
安瓦尔·哈克 (Anwarul Haq) 表示，自 1 月份以来，卫生官员已确认巴基斯坦新增 39 例脊髓灰质炎病例，而去年仅为 6 例。他在国家根除脊髓灰质炎紧急行动中心工作。根除意味着彻底消除某物。
The new nationwide campaign starts on October 28. The campaign aims to vaccinate at least 32 million children.
新的全国性运动将于 10 月 28 日开始。该运动旨在为至少 3200 万儿童接种疫苗。
“The whole purpose of these campaigns is to achieve the target of making Pakistan a polio-free state,” Haq said.
哈克说：“这些活动的全部目的是实现让巴基斯坦成为无脊髓灰质炎国家的目标。”
Pakistan regularly launches campaigns against polio despite attacks on the workers and police assigned to protect them.
尽管负责保护他们的工人和警察遭到袭击，巴基斯坦仍定期开展针对脊髓灰质炎的运动。
Militants falsely claim that the vaccination campaigns are a Western attempt to sterilize children. To sterilize means to make someone unable to produce children.
武装分子错误地声称疫苗接种运动是西方对儿童进行绝育的尝试。绝育意味着使某人无法生育孩子。
Most of the new polio cases were reported in the southwestern Balochistan and southern Sindh provinces. The next two areas with the most cases are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eastern Punjab.
大多数新增脊髓灰质炎病例发生在俾路支省西南部和信德省南部。接下来的两个病例最多的地区是开伯尔-普赫图赫瓦省和旁遮普省东部。
The locations worry officials since previous cases were from the northwest areas bordering Afghanistan. In September, this is where the Taliban government suddenly stopped a house-to-house vaccination campaign.
这些地点令官员们感到担忧，因为之前的病例都来自与阿富汗接壤的西北地区。9月，塔利班政府在这里突然停止了挨家挨户的疫苗接种活动。
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the two countries in which the spread of the possibly deadly, paralyzing disease has never been eradicated. Officials in Pakistan have said that the Taliban’s decision will have major effects beyond the Afghan border. People from both sides frequently travel to each other’s country.
阿富汗和巴基斯坦是可能致命的瘫痪疾病的传播从未被根除的两个国家。巴基斯坦官员表示，塔利班的决定将对阿富汗边境以外地区产生重大影响。双方人员经常往对方国家旅游。
The WHO has confirmed 18 polio cases in Afghanistan this year. All but two of these cases were in the south of the country. That number is up from six cases in 2023.
世界卫生组织今年已确认阿富汗有 18 例脊髓灰质炎病例。除两例外，所有这些病例都发生在该国南部。这一数字比 2023 年的 6 起有所增加。
In June, Afghanistan started a house-to-house vaccination campaign for the first time in five years. The campaign has helped to reach the majority of children targeted, officials at the WHO said.
6月，阿富汗五年来首次开展挨家挨户的疫苗接种活动。世界卫生组织官员表示，这项运动帮助覆盖了大多数目标儿童。
Health officials in Pakistan say they want both sides to hold anti-polio campaigns at the same time.
巴基斯坦卫生官员表示，他们希望双方同时开展反脊髓灰质炎运动。
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“There was a trend, it happened when COVID hit, to stop reading full-length novels because students were in trauma; we were in a pandemic. The problem is we haven’t quite come back from that,” she said.
“当新冠疫情来袭时，出现了一种趋势，即停止阅读长篇小说，因为学生们正处于创伤之中；我们正处于大流行之中。问题是我们还没有完全恢复过来，”她说。
Other teachers blame standardized testing and the influence of education technology.
其他教师则将此归咎于标准化考试和教育技术的影响。
Some students struggle to read. Only one third of fourth and eighth graders reached reading proficiency in the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress.
有些学生读书有困难。在 2022 年国家教育进步评估中，只有三分之一的四年级和八年级学生达到了阅读水平。
Leah van Belle is the director of the non-profit literacy coalition 313Reads in Detroit, Michigan. Van Belle said, when her son read the book Peter Pan in elementary school, it was too difficult for most children. She said her son’s school does not have a library.
Leah van Belle 是密歇根州底特律非营利扫盲联盟 313Reads 的主任。范贝尔说，当她的儿子在小学读《彼得潘》这本书时，对大多数孩子来说太难了。她说她儿子的学校没有图书馆。
Still, she said it makes sense for English classes to use shorter reading material.
尽管如此，她表示英语课程使用较短的阅读材料是有意义的。
“As an adult, if I want to learn about a topic and research it, be it personal or professional, I’m using interactive digital text to do that,” she said. “
作为一个成年人，如果我想了解一个主题并进行研究，无论是个人的还是专业的，我都会使用交互式数字文本来做到这一点，”她说。
Even in schools with many resources, time is always in short supply.
即使在资源丰富的学校，时间也总是紧张。
Terri White teaches at South Windsor High School in Connecticut. White no longer assigns the book To Kill a Mockingbird to her class.
特丽·怀特 (Terri White) 在康涅狄格州南温莎高中任教。怀特不再将《杀死一只知更鸟》这本书分配给她的班级。
She assigns about one third of the book and provides a synopsis, or a very short version, of the rest. White says the reason is that the class has to move quickly so she can teach all the required material.
她分配了这本书大约三分之一的篇幅，并提供了其余部分的概要或非常简短的版本。怀特说，原因是课程必须快速进行，这样她才能教授所有需要的材料。
White also assigns less homework because students have sports and other activities. She said she wanted her class to be “more about helping student become stronger and more critical readers, writers and thinkers, while taking their social-emotional well-being into account.”
怀特还分配了较少的家庭作业，因为学生有运动和其他活动。她说，她希望她的课程“更多地帮助学生成为更强大、更挑剔的读者、作家和思想家，同时考虑到他们的社会情感健康。
The synopses method alone, however, can harm student critical thinking skills says Alden Jones, a literature professor at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts.
然而，马萨诸塞州波士顿爱默生学院的文学教授奥尔登·琼斯 （Alden Jones） 说，单独的概要方法会损害学生的批判性思维能力。
Jones assigns fewer books than before but gives more small tests to make sure students are reading.
琼斯分配的书籍比以前少了，但给出了更多的小测试，以确保学生正在阅读。
“We don’t value the thinking time that we used to have. It’s all time we could be on our phone accomplishing tasks,” she said.
“我们不珍惜过去的思考时间。我们随时都可以用手机完成任务，”她说。
Will Higgins is an English teacher at Dartmouth High School in Massachusetts. Higgins said he still believes in teaching the classics. But he said students do not have enough time, so teachers have cut back on the number of books they teach.
威尔·希金斯是马萨诸塞州达特茅斯高中的英语老师。希金斯说他仍然相信教授古典文学。但他说学生没有足够的时间，所以老师们减少了教书的数量。
“We haven’t given up on Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. We haven’t given up on Hamlet or The Great Gatsby,” he said. But Higgins admitted giving up on assigning a long book like A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
“我们没有放弃《简·爱》和《傲慢与偏见》。我们没有放弃《哈姆雷特》或《了不起的盖茨比》，”他说。但希金斯承认放弃了分配像查尔斯·狄更斯的《两座城市的故事》这样的长书。
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Teachers in many English classes across America are having students read fewer full-length books.
美国许多英语课堂的老师都在减少学生阅读长篇书籍的数量。
Recently, the Associated Press explored the issue in education.
近日，美联社就教育问题进行了探讨。
It reports that students instead are given only short parts of books. Educators said this is because they believe current students have shorter attention spans than those of the past. The teachers might feel pressure to prepare students for state and nationwide examinations know as standardized tests. They also might believe that short pieces of writing will help students in the modern, digital world.
据报道，学生只获得了书籍的一小部分。教育工作者表示，这是因为他们认为现在的学生的注意力持续时间比过去的学生要短。教师可能会感到压力，让学生准备国家和全国性考试（称为标准化考试）。他们还可能认为短篇写作将对现代数字世界的学生有所帮助。
The National Council of Teachers of English is a professional organization for teachers based in Champaign, Illinois. In 2022, the group released a statement about reading. “The time has come to decenter book reading and essay-writing as the pinnacles of English language arts education,” the group said.
全国英语教师委员会是一个位于伊利诺伊州尚佩恩的教师专业组织。2022年，该组织发布了一份关于阅读的声明。该组织表示：“现在是时候将书籍阅读和论文写作作为英语语言艺术教育的顶峰了。”
Seth French helped write the statement. He said the idea was not to remove books but to teach media literacy and have students read things in which they are interested. French taught an English class before becoming a dean at Bentonville High School in the state of Arkansas. He had students read plays, poetry and articles but only one book as a class.
塞思·弗伦奇帮助撰写了这份声明。他说，这个想法不是要删除书籍，而是要教授媒体素养，让学生阅读他们感兴趣的东西。在成为阿肯色州本顿维尔高中的院长之前，弗伦奇曾教过英语课。他让学生读戏剧、诗歌和文章，但一堂课只读一本书。
He said, “A lot of our students are not interested in some of these texts that they didn’t have a choice in.”
他说：“我们的很多学生对其中一些他们无法选择的文本不感兴趣。
”Not everyone thinks English reading should involve only short, digital pieces of writing.
并非所有人都认为英语阅读应该只涉及简短的数字写作。
Maryanne Wolf studies the human brain at UCLA in Southern California. Wolf said deep reading is important to strengthen connections in the brain tied to critical thinking skills, background knowledge and empathy.
玛丽安·沃尔夫在南加州加州大学洛杉矶分校研究人类大脑。沃尔夫表示，深度阅读对于加强大脑中与批判性思维技能、背景知识和同理心相关的联系非常重要。
She said educators must give students a chance to learn through what she described as “immersion into the lives and thoughts of others.”
她说，教育工作者必须给学生一个机会，让他们通过她所说的“沉浸在他人的生活和思想中”来学习。
There is not a lot of information on how many books American students are required to read in school. But in general, students are reading less.
关于美国学生在学校需要阅读多少本书的信息并不多。但总体而言，学生的阅读量较少。
Federal data from last year shows 14 percent of young people said they read for fun every day. In 2012, that percentage was 27 percent.
去年的联邦数据显示，14% 的年轻人表示他们每天都以阅读为乐趣。2012 年，这一比例为 27%。
Some teachers say reduced reading has its roots in the COVID-19 crisis.
一些教师表示，阅读量减少的根源在于 COVID-19 危机。
Kristy Acevedo teaches English at a vocational high school in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
克里斯蒂·阿塞维多在马萨诸塞州新贝德福德的一所职业高中教授英语。
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A new state law will soon require school districts in California to create new rules restricting student smartphone use.
新的州法律很快将要求加州学区制定新规则，限制学生使用智能手机。
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law recently. The legislation makes California the latest state to try to reduce student phone access. Florida, Louisiana, Indiana, and several other states have also passed laws aimed at restricting student phone use at school.
加利福尼亚州州长加文·纽瑟姆最近签署了该法律。该立法使加州成为最新一个试图减少学生使用手机的州。佛罗里达州、路易斯安那州、印第安纳州和其他几个州也通过了旨在限制学生在学校使用手机的法律。
The legislation is aimed at reducing distractions in the classroom. It is also meant to address the mental health effects that social media can have on children.
该立法旨在减少课堂上的干扰。它还旨在解决社交媒体对儿童心理健康的影响。
Newsom said in a statement, “This new law will help students focus on academics, social development, and the world in front of them, not their screens, when they’re in school."
纽瑟姆在一份声明中表示，“这项新法律将帮助学生在学校时专注于学业、社会发展和面前的世界，而不是屏幕。”
But some critics of such policies worry the rules will make it harder for students to seek help if there is an emergency. Critics also argue that decisions on phone bans should be made by school districts, and not state governments.
但此类政策的一些批评者担心，这些规定将使学生在发生紧急情况时更难寻求帮助。批评者还认为，关于电话禁令的决定应该由学区而不是州政府做出。
The law requires districts to pass rules by July 1, 2026. The rules should limit or ban students from using smartphones on school grounds or while students are under the supervision of school employees.
该法律要求各学区在 2026 年 7 月 1 日之前通过规则。这些规则应限制或禁止学生在校园内或在学校工作人员的监督下使用智能手机。
The new law comes after Newsom signed an earlier law in 2019 permitting school districts to restrict student phone access.
这项新法律是在纽瑟姆于 2019 年签署一项早期法律允许学区限制学生使用手机之后出台的。
In June, Newsom announced plans to seek more legislation. His announcement came after the U.S. surgeon general called on the United States Congress to require written warning on social media platforms describing their effects on young people. Newsom sent letters to districts in August, urging them to limit student device use in school.
六月，纽瑟姆宣布计划寻求更多立法。在他宣布这一消息之前，美国卫生局局长呼吁美国国会要求在社交媒体平台上发出书面警告，描述其对年轻人的影响。纽瑟姆八月份致函各学区，敦促他们限制学生在学校使用设备。
Assembly member Josh Hoover represents the city of Folsom. Hoover introduced the bill with a group of lawmakers. Phones are restricted where Hoover's children attend school. He said many of the students do not always like the policy. He said that is in part a sign of how addictive phones can be.
议会成员乔希·胡佛代表福尔瑟姆市。胡佛与一群立法者一起提出了该法案。胡佛的孩子们上学的地方，电话受到限制。他说许多学生并不总是喜欢这项政策。他说，这在一定程度上表明手机是多么容易让人上瘾。
Hoover said, "Any time you're talking about interrupting that addiction, it's certainly going to be hard for students sometimes."
胡佛说：“每当你谈论戒掉这种瘾时，有时对学生来说肯定会很困难。”
Some parents have raised concerns that school cellphone bans could cut parents off from their children if there is an emergency, such as a school shooting.
一些家长担心，如果发生校园枪击等紧急情况，学校禁止使用手机可能会切断家长与孩子的联系。
The 2019 law permitting districts to restrict student phone access makes exceptions for emergencies. The new law does not change that. Some supporters of school phone restrictions say it may be safer to have phones off in an active shooter situation.
2019 年法律允许学区限制学生使用手机，但紧急情况除外。新法律并没有改变这一点。一些学校电话限制的支持者表示，在发生枪击事件时关闭手机可能更安全。
ShaKenya Edison is assistant superintendent with the Santa Barbara Unified School District. The district put in place a ban on student phone use in class during the 2023 to 2024 school year. She said teachers have noted that their students are paying closer attention in class since the start of the ban.
沙肯亚·爱迪生 (ShaKenya Edison) 是圣巴巴拉联合学区的助理学监。该学区在 2023 至 2024 学年禁止学生在课堂上使用手机。她说，老师们注意到，自禁令开始以来，学生们在课堂上更加集中注意力。
Tarik McFall is principal of Sutter Middle School in Folsom. He said that before his school’s cellphone ban, students recorded fights, filmed TikTok videos and spent lunchtime looking at their phones.
塔里克·麦克福尔 (Tarik McFall) 是福尔瑟姆萨特中学的校长。他说，在学校禁止使用手机之前，学生们会录制打架、拍摄 TikTok 视频，并在午餐时间看手机。
The ban has “totally changed the culture” of the school, he said. Now, students spend more time talking to one another. “To have them put away, to have them power off…it has been a great thing,” McFall said.
他说，这项禁令“彻底改变了学校的文化”。现在，学生们花更多的时间互相交谈。“把它们收起来，让它们断电……这是一件很棒的事情，”麦克福尔说。
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Early education expert Dan Gartrell says the most important civics lesson that preschools can teach is “social democracy.”
早期教育专家丹·加特雷尔表示，幼儿园可以教授的最重要的公民课程是“社会民主”。
Gartrell wrote a book about teaching democracy to preschoolers. It is called Education for a Civil Society. The book is used by the ACCA Child Development Center near Washington, D.C. in Northern Virginia.
加特雷尔写了一本关于向学龄前儿童教授民主的书。它被称为公民社会教育。这本书由弗吉尼亚州北部华盛顿特区附近的 ACCA 儿童发展中心使用。
Gartrell said this teaching “starts with appreciating each member of the group as a worthy member and worthy of expressing thoughts and ideas.” He said after that, children can learn to treat others with kindness to solve conflicts and negotiate difficult situations by using words that do not hurt other people’s feelings.
加特雷尔说，这种教学“首先要认识到团队中的每个成员都是有价值的成员，并且值得表达思想和想法。” 他说，孩子们可以学会善待他人，用不伤害别人感情的言语来解决冲突和协商困难的情况。
Rachel Robertson is chief academic officer for Bright Horizons. The company operates preschool centers around the world. It uses democratic ideas in its education.
雷切尔·罗伯逊 (Rachel Robertson) 是 Bright Horizons 的首席学术官。该公司在世界各地经营学前中心。它在教育中运用民主思想。
Robertson said that a child starts to be a “real community member” at around age three or four. She said the child starts “contributing to the classroom community and thinking a little bit broader about the world.”
罗伯逊说，孩子在三四岁左右开始成为“真正的社区成员”。她说，孩子开始“为课堂社区做出贡献，并对世界进行更广泛的思考”。
At ACCA in Virginia, children are given a lot of autonomy. There are hours spent doing free play. Children vote on what they study and eat.
在弗吉尼亚州的 ACCA，孩子们被赋予了很大的自主权。有几个小时可以自由玩耍。孩子们对他们学习和吃的东西进行投票。
On a recent day, one classroom had just finished studying sand because the children wanted to know about it after they visited beaches over the summer. The children also tried different apples and voted on which apples the school should order.
最近的一天，一个教室刚刚完成了对沙子的学习，因为孩子们在夏天参观了海滩后想了解沙子。孩子们还尝试了不同的苹果，并投票决定学校应该订购哪些苹果。
The ACCA said the decision-making process is meant to affirm to children that their thoughts and the thoughts of their classmates are valuable.
ACCA表示，决策过程旨在向孩子们确认他们的想法和同学的想法是有价值的。
Reporters with the Associated Press recently visited an ACCA classroom. The reporters found the children taking a vote on who the best character was on Paw Patrol, an animated TV series.
美联社记者近日参观了ACCA教室。记者发现，孩子们正在投票选出动画片《狗狗巡逻队》中的最佳角色。
The three- and four-year-old children were choosing between two finalists: a German shepherd named Chase who wears a police uniform, and Skye, who wears a pink “pup pack.”
三岁和四岁的孩子在两名决赛选手中进行选择：身穿警服的德国牧羊犬蔡斯和身穿粉红色“小狗包”的斯凯。
Educators at ACCA say they are teaching ideas of civics to students early. Their goal, they say, is to raise good citizens and strengthen democracy.
ACCA 的教育工作者表示，他们正在尽早向学生传授公民知识。他们说，他们的目标是培养好公民并加强民主。
The students are not learning about the structure and rules of government. But teachers say they are working with students on how to solve problems with classmates, how to deal with anger or disappointment and how to think of the needs of others.
学生们没有学习政府的结构和规则。但老师们表示，他们正在与学生一起学习如何解决与同学之间的问题、如何处理愤怒或失望以及如何考虑他人的需求。
Mary Folks is a teacher at ACCA. She said, “We’re all here to help develop these children to become better citizens…to be better problem-solvers and to be better equipped socially, emotionally…”
玛丽·福克斯 (Mary Folks) 是 ACCA 的一名教师。她说：“我们都在这里帮助这些孩子成为更好的公民……成为更好的问题解决者，并在社交和情感上拥有更好的装备……”
María-Isabel Ballivian is the preschool’s executive director. She said she looks for ways to remind students that they are American. For example, she holds a large Fourth of July gathering.
María-Isabel Ballivian 是该幼儿园的执行董事。她说她正在寻找方法提醒学生他们是美国人。例如，她举办了一场大型的国庆日聚会。
Ballivian said, “If we give them now a sense of belonging, that’s going to be a tool that they will have to become resilient once they face discrimination.”
巴利维说：“如果我们现在给他们一种归属感，这将成为他们在面临歧视时必须变得有弹性的工具。”
Ballivian added, “I don’t see how we can change the adults…But I do know, if we work hard, we can prepare our children for a better future.”
巴利维补充道：“我不知道我们如何才能改变成年人……但我确实知道，如果我们努力工作，我们就能让我们的孩子为更美好的未来做好准备。”
As for the class vote at ACCA, they narrowly supported Skye in their vote for best Paw Patrol character.
至于 ACCA 的班级投票，他们以微弱优势支持斯凯投票选出最佳狗狗巡逻队角色。
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NASA also chose American aerospace company Boeing to serve as a possible partner in its Artemis program. But the company’s Starliner rocket has faced major delays and difficulties during past test flights.
美国宇航局还选择美国航空航天公司波音作为其阿尔忒弥斯计划的可能合作伙伴。但该公司的 Starliner 火箭在过去的试飞中遇到了严重的延误和困难。
In the last one, Starliner successfully transported two American astronauts – Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams – to the ISS in early June. The two were expected to stay in space for only a week. But ongoing technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft prevented a return trip.
在最后一艘中，Starliner 于 6 月初成功将两名美国宇航员——布奇·威尔莫尔和苏尼·威廉姆斯——运送到国际空间站。两人预计仅在太空停留一周。但 Starliner 航天器持续存在的技术问题阻止了返程。
NASA recently decided to have Starliner return to Earth without the astronauts. The plan is for Wilmore and Williams to return home from the ISS in February on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
美国宇航局最近决定让星际客机在没有宇航员的情况下返回地球。威尔莫尔和威廉姆斯计划于 2 月份乘坐 SpaceX Dragon 飞船从国际空间站返回家园。
Before SpaceX’s latest mission, several Starship rockets exploded during the test flights. The last non-exploding test happened in June. During that flight, SpaceX reported some damage to heat-resisting tiles on the outside of Starship. But improvements made since then appeared to have succeeded.
在 SpaceX 执行最新任务之前，几枚 Starship 火箭在试飞期间发生爆炸。最后一次非爆炸测试发生在六月。在那次飞行中，SpaceX 报告称，星际飞船外部的耐热瓷砖出现了一些损坏。但此后所做的改进似乎取得了成功。
After Sunday’s flight, SpaceX chief Elon Musk said the rockets appeared to be generally in good condition, with just minor warping of some outer engine parts from intense heat. He noted that those parts could be fixed easily.
周日的飞行结束后，SpaceX 首席执行官埃隆·马斯克 (Elon Musk) 表示，火箭似乎总体状况良好，只是一些外部发动机部件因高温而出现轻微变形。他指出这些部件可以很容易地修复。
Musk is also chief of the social media service X. On the service, he expressed excitement when the Starship booster rocket returned to the launch area and was “caught” by the structure. SpaceX calls the huge metal arms that capture and secure the booster rocket on land “chopsticks” because they move similarly to the eating instruments.
马斯克还是社交媒体服务 X 的负责人。在服务中，当 Starship 助推火箭返回发射区域并被结构“抓住”时，他表达了兴奋之情。SpaceX 将捕获并固定助推火箭在陆地上的巨大金属臂称为“筷子”，因为它们的移动方式与进食工具类似。
“The tower has caught the rocket!!” Musk wrote in a message on X. “Big step towards making life multiplanetary was made today,” he added.
“塔已经抓住了火箭！！”马斯克在 X 上的一条消息中写道。“今天朝着让生命多行星化迈出了一大步，”他补充说。
The successful test flight was also praised on X by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Congratulations to @SpaceX on its successful booster catch and fifth Starship flight test today!” Nelson wrote. He added that “continued testing” will prepare NASA and its partners for a series of “bold missions” to come in the future.
成功的试飞也受到了 NASA 局长比尔·纳尔逊 （Bill Nelson） 在 X 上的赞扬。“祝贺 @SpaceX 今天成功成功进行助推器捕捉和第五次 Starship 飞行测试！”“纳尔逊写道。他补充说，“持续的测试”将使 NASA 及其合作伙伴为未来即将到来的一系列“大胆任务”做好准备。
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