Around the World Ａｒｏｕｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　Ｗｏｒｌｄ

　　Canada Approves Gay Marriages 　　加拿大批准同性恋婚姻 　　Canada recently became the third country in the world, after Belgium and the Netherlands, to legalize same sex marriages. The new legislation will grant gay couples the same legal rights enjoyed by those in traditional male-female unions. Legislators in Canada"s House of Commons voted 158-133 in support of the bill.
　　日前，加拿大成为继比利时和荷兰之后，世界上第三个使同性婚姻合法化的国家。新的法规将准许同性恋夫妇享有与传统异性伴侣相同的合法权益。加拿大下议院的立法委员以158票比133票通过了这项法案。
　　
　　US Sets Up China Group
　　美国成立中国小组
　　The US House of Representatives has launched a U.S.-China Working Group to increase Congressional engagement in bilateral issues. The launch of the working group was a bipartisan initiative kicked off by Republican Congressman Mark Kirk and Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen. The group of more than 20 Republicans and Democrats will work to promote bilateral diplomatic and economic relations. Chinese Ambassador to the US Zhou Wenzhong welcomed the move and expressed his hope that the group will help improve Sino-US relations.
　　美国众议院已经建立了“美中工作小组”来加强国会对双边问题的工作力度。建立这个工作小组是一份由共和党众议员马克・柯克和民主党众议员里克・拉森牵头的两党连立动议案。由二十多名民主党人和共和党人组成的这一小组将致力于增进双边外交和经贸关系。中国驻美大使周文重对此举表示欢迎并希望该小组能有助于改善中美关系。
　　
　　China"s Red Cross Establishes Leukemia Fund
　　中国红十字会设立白血病基金
　　The Red Cross in China has decided to set up a fund for children with leukemia after a man tried to kill himself so as to sell his organs to raise money for his son"s treatment. The suicide attempt failed but the case raised awareness in China of the plight of many leukemia suffers who cannot afford to have treatment. Wang Rupeng, the foundation"s secretary-general said that he hoped that individuals and enterprises, both domestic and foreign, would support the fund with donations.
　　
在一名男子试图自杀以便出售自己的器官来为其子筹集医疗费的事件发生后，中国的红十字会决定为患白血病的儿童设立一项基金。虽然这次自杀企图以失败告终，但此事唤起了中国对众多无钱就医的白血病患者的困境的关注。（红十字）基金会秘书长王汝鹏说，他希望国内外的个人和企业以捐赠的方式来对这一基金予以支持。
　　
　　Japanese Visas Available to More Chinese
　　更多国人将获日本签证
　　Japan and China agreed to reduce Japanese tourist visa restrictions. Previously, only residents of certain Chinese cities, including Beijing, were eligible to apply for visas to visit Japan as part of a tour group. This year Japan hosted the World Expo and, in order to allow more Chinese attend, relaxed their visa regulations to allow Chinese citizens from anywhere in the country apply. It has been agreed to maintain this arrangement on a permanent basis. Both sides have said that an increase in tourism will help both countries to develop mutual understanding and respect.
　　日本和中国商定，将放宽日本旅游签证的限制。之前，只有包括北京在内的中国某些城市的居民，才有资格作为旅游团成员申请到日本参观的签证。今年，日本主办了世界博览会，并放宽了其签证规定，准许中国各地的居民提出申请，以便使更多的中国人可以与会。经过商定，这一调整将永久维持不变。双方均宣称，旅游业的增长将有助于两国加深相互理解和尊重。
　　
　　Economy 经济
　　
　　U.S. Homeowners Tax Increases
　　美国房产税出现增长
　　Owning a home in the US is becoming increasingly more expensive. As property prices rise across the country, so does property tax. The areas worst hit by these rises are the hot markets of Florida, California and the North-East. First-time home buyers are especially running into trouble and elderly residents on fixed incomes who have lived in their homes for decades struggle to pay ever-increasing taxes.
　　在美国拥有一处寓所的花费正在飙升。随着地产价格在全国范围内出现上扬，地产税也出现了增长。受这些涨浮影响最大的地区是佛罗里达州、加州和东北地区的热门市场。首次买房者尤其会陷入困境，而在自己的寓所内住了几十年、有固定收入的老龄居民则在为支付日益增长的税款而进行着挣扎。
　　
　　Family Businesses Big in China
　　中国盛行家族企业
　　According to the just released first-issue blue book "Report on the development of China"s private enterprises", more than 90% of China"s three million private businesses are family owned. The majority of them are operated according to a family style of management. The blue book also revealed that the men who create and participate in China"s private enterprises range in age from 18 to 34, a full generation younger than the world"s average age bracket of 25 to 44. Of women who create private businesses, their ages range from 24 to 44.
　　根据刚刚发行的第一部《中国民营企业发展报告》蓝皮书的统计，在中国三百万家民营企业中，有90%以上属于家族所有。其中，大部分是按照家族管理方式来进行经营的。蓝皮书还披露，创建和从事中国民营企业的男性，年龄在18岁到34岁之间，比25岁到44岁的世界平均年龄段整整年轻了一代。而在创建民营企业的女性中，她们的年龄则在24岁到44岁之间。
　　
　　Technology 科技
　　
　　Chicago Uses Technology to Fight Crime
　　芝加哥运用科技来打击犯罪
　　Recently, Chicago police reduced the city"s crime rate by erecting surveillance cameras around the city. Now, they have taken it a step further by having ears as well as eyes. The city is employing new technology that recognizes the sound of a gunshot within a two-block radius, pinpoints the source, turns a surveillance camera toward the shooter and places a 911 call. There are thirty such devices installed in Chicago with several other cities planning to do the same.
　　日前，芝加哥警方通过在全市建立监控摄像头的方式降低了城市犯罪率。现在，他们通过视听兼备的方式又向前迈进了一步。这座城市正在应用一项新技术，它可以识别各个方位两个街区以内的枪击声，查明来源，将监控摄像头转向枪手，并拨打911。芝加哥已经安装了30套此类设备，而其它城市也在计划采取同样举措。
　　
　　China Prepares to Send More Astronauts to Space
　　中国准备将更多的宇航员送上太空
　　Last month, China began training six astronauts for spaceflight. Two of them will enter orbit on September"s Shenzhou VI mission. The astronaut candidates were training in teams and the pair that showed the best teamwork would be the next Chinese in space. China became the third nation to successfully send a man into space in October 2003, when astronaut Yang Liwei orbited the Earth 14 times on the Shenzhou V spacecraft.
　　上个月，中国开始为航天飞行培训六名宇航员。其中的两人将完成9月的“神舟六号”任务，进入轨道。这些候选宇航员一直在以小组的形式接受培训，而协作能力最强的一组将成为下一批进入太空的中国人。2003年10月，当宇航员杨利伟乘坐“神舟五号”飞船环绕地球轨道飞行14圈后，中国成为世界上第三个成功将人送入太空的国家。
　　
　　Sports 体育
　　
　　Germany Pays Big for World Cup
　　德国为“世界杯”付出惨重
　　The organizing committee of World Cup 2006 estimates that hosting the games will cost Germany 430 million euro. It is highly unlikely that ticket sales and various other revenue will amount to enough to allow Germany to recuperate the cost of staging football"s most prestigious international tournament. Discussions are currently underway with FIFA and it is believed that FIFA will agree to make up the difference between the revenue and the expenses of the organizing committee.
　　2006年“世界杯”组委会估计，承办这一赛事将耗费德国4.3亿欧元。而靠门票收入和其它各项收入就足以使德国冲抵举办这项最负盛名的国际足球锦标赛的费用，是极不可能的。目前，与国际足联的磋商正在进行当中，据信，国际足联将同意弥补该组委会在收入和支出上的差额。
　　
　　China and India Sign Sports Cooperation Pact
　　中国和印度签署体育合作协定
　　China and India signed a sports cooperation pact in July. Under the agreement China will offer its sport facilities and coaching expertise to Indian Olympic athletes. India, like China, is a populous developing nation. Unlike China, India"s athletes have performed very poorly in the Olympic Games. This is blamed on a poor administration and a lack of support for other sports in the cricket obsessed country.
　　中国和印度在7月签署了一份体育合作协定。根据此协定，中国将向印度奥运选手提供该国的体育器材和训练技术。和中国一样，印度是一个人口众多的发展中国家。而与中国不同的是，印度运动员在奥运会上的表现十分糟糕。这要归咎于这个痴迷于板球运动的国家管理不善而且缺乏对其它体育项目的支持。
　　
　　Culture文化
　　
　　Ancient Canoe Dated
　　古代独木舟年代得到确认
　　After spending almost a year sampling and testing with Carbon 14 the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has come to the conclusion that a canoe, discovered in Hebei"s Wuqiang County, dates back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, making it over 2537 years old. This proves that ancient human activity in Hengshui City should be more than 200 years older than former discoveries had led experts to believe.
　　中国社会科学院下属的考古研究所对碳14经过近一年的取样检测后，得出结论：在河北省武强县发现的独木舟，其年代可追溯到2537年以前的东周时期。这证明了衡水市的古人类活动应该比专家据先前发现所断定的年代还要早200多年。
　　
　　What They Said
　　
　　"She said that she had taken to calling me her son...I wish I could get them to adopt Hilary."
　　“她说她已经开始称我为儿子了……我希望我能使他们认下希拉里。”
　　
　　Bill Clinton - on his closeness to Barbara Bush and her husband, after the two ex-Presidents collaborated on tsunami-relief fundraising.
　　比尔・克林顿在谈及他与芭芭拉・布什和其丈夫的亲密关系时说道，而之前这两位前总统曾携手为海啸赈灾募集款项。
　　
　　"I kept my promise."
　　“我遵守了我的诺言。”
　　
　　Michael Schiavo - in an inscription on the headstone of the grave for his wife Terri, whose ashes were finally buried after a long legal battle over her final wishes, in reference to a pledge that he made to her before she suffered brain damage that he would not keep her alive artificially.
　　迈克尔・夏沃在他的妻子泰莉（她的骨灰在经过关于其遗愿的长期法律纠纷后终于得以下葬）的墓石碑铭上写道，以此提及他在她罹患脑损伤之前向她所做的承诺，即他不会（在她患病后）人为地维持她的生命。
　　
　　"Isn"t it time for you to resign?"
　　“难道这还不是你辞职的时候？”
　　
　　Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat - questioning Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during a Senate hearing on the Iraq war.
　　马萨诸塞州的民主党人爱德华・肯尼迪在一次关于伊拉克战争的参议院听证会上向国防部长唐纳德・拉姆斯菲尔德质问道。
　　
　　"The way the situation is, we wouldn"t be ready to take responsibility for a thousand years."
　　“现下的情形是，我们就是在一千年之后也不会做好承担责任的准备。”
　　
　　Amar Mana, an Iraqi private- when asked when the Iraqi army would be ready to take responsibility for the country"s security.
　　伊拉克士兵阿玛・马纳在被问及伊拉克军队何时准备好去承担该国安全的责任时回答道。
　　
　　"It strikes me as being morally repulsive and intellectually absurd that people die of want in a world of surplus."
　　“人们在一个富足有余的世界中因贫寒困窘而死，这给我的感触就是道德沦丧、荒诞不经。”
　　
　　Sir Bob Geldof- on organizing Live 8, a series of concerts that were held on July 2nd to coincide with the G8 summit. The concerts were staged to raise awareness of poverty in Africa.
　　鲍勃・格尔多夫爵士在谈及组办“Live 8”这个于7月2日举行、与八国集团峰会同步的系列音乐会时说道。举办这些音乐会旨在引起对非洲贫困问题的关注。
　　
　　Athlete Tourist
　　South London band Athlete formed in 2000, eventually arriving at an experimental Indie Rock kind of style. After a top 40 hit, the band enjoyed some critical success and were signed by Parlophone. The band have gigged heavily, supporting the likes of Mansun, and have worked with the producer of acts such as Beth Orton and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Their new album Tourist has songs reminiscent of the Coldplay ballad, and the Super Furry Animals influence that has been with them all along is still apparent. With some promising singles, Tourist has its dark moments and faces some harsh realities, yet also manages to remain hopeful and uplifting.
　　体育健将乐团 《旅客》
　　伦敦南部的“体育健将乐团”成立于2000年，最终形成了实验派“独立摇滚”之类的风格。在拥有一支打入前40之列的畅销曲之后，这支乐队获得了一定好评并且被“帕洛风公司”签了下来。这支乐队曾大量进行短场演出，为“曼森合唱团”等乐队做暖场表演，并且还和贝丝・欧顿与“尼克・凯夫和坏种乐队”等艺人的制作人有过合作。在他们的新专辑《旅客》中，有些歌曲会令人联想起“酷玩乐队”的抒情歌，而且他们一直以来所受到的“超级怒兽”乐队的影响仍然显而易见。虽然《旅客》中有其阴郁的一面并反映了某些残酷的现实，但几首前途无量的单曲，仍然使其保持了满怀憧憬和激昂人心的风格。
　　
　　Caesars Paper Tigers
　　Hailed by Rolling Stone as "garage aesthetes" for their smart, tuneful takes on "60s psychedelic and garage rock on earlier records; Sweden"s Caesars broaden their musical and lyrical palate on Paper Tigers, entering adulthood without abandoning their sense of taste and irony. The album covers a wide range of moods, from the pulsing, buzzy guitar and organ rock of Not The Fall That Hurts and Soul Chaser, to the warm 60s soul of My Heart is Breaking Down to the introspective, textured Your Time Is Near.
　　凯撒大帝 《纸老虎》
　　因其在早期唱片中对60年代迷幻摇滚和车库摇滚的曼妙优美的演绎，瑞典的“凯撒大帝”被“滚石公司”誉为“车库审美主义者”；在《纸老虎》专辑中他们拓宽了其音乐和抒情取向，在保留其品位和嘲讽风格不变的情况下步入了成熟期。从《Not The Fall That Hurts》和《Soul Chaesr》中奔放、嗡嗡做声的吉他配风琴的摇滚曲风，到《My Heart is Breaking Down》里亲和的60年代灵魂乐曲风，再到《Your Time Is Near》中的内省和质感，这张专辑蕴涵了丰富的基调。
　　
　　Daft Punk Human After All
　　Daft Punk is set to revolutionize dance floors once again with the release of their innovative new album Human After All. The new album"s debut single will be the body-thumping, guitar-drenched Robot Rock; the video for the song is directed by Daft Punk themselves. Daft Punk strikes out on their own singular path with Human After All. Creating some of the most assertive and uncompromising music of their career, they have married emotion and technology in a way that perfectly mirrors the fast-paced and hard-hitting rhythms of our modern lives.
　　傻瓜朋克 《回归》
　　随着其革命性的新专辑《回归》的推出，“傻瓜朋客”必将在舞厅之内再次掀起一场变革。这张新专辑的首发单曲将是动感十足、以吉他为主音的《Robot Rock》；此歌的音乐电视就是由“傻瓜朋克”自己拍摄完成的。“傻瓜朋客”在《回归》中开拓了一条他们自己所独有的道路。通过打造其生涯中最为特例独行的一些音乐，他们将情感与科技结合在了一起，完美地再现了我们现代生活中快速而又强烈的节奏感。
　　
　　Low Millions Ex-Girlfriends
　　Los Angeles band The Low Millions features singer/guitarist Adam Cohen, guitarist Michael Chaves, bassist Jorgen Carlsson, and drummer Eric Eldenius. Before Low Millions, Cohen - son of famed singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen - released a self-titled solo effort in 1998. One only has to look to the title to see the inspiration for their 11-track debut of modern pop-rock gems. It was this recurring theme of soured relationships and undying romanticism that prompted the band to call their record Ex-Girlfriends. But while disappointment often bubbles up in the lyrical sentiments expressed in these eleven tunes, the craftsmanship and care that permeates the Low Millions" music ensures that Ex-Girlfriends never lets the listener down.
　　忧伤百万 《甜蜜回忆》
　　洛杉矶的“忧伤百万”乐队由主唱兼吉他手亚当・科恩、吉他手麦克尔・卡维斯、贝司手沃勒・卡尔森和鼓手艾瑞克・卡尔松组成。在加入“忧伤百万”之前，科恩（著名歌手兼音乐创作人伦纳德・科恩之子）曾于1998年发行了一张同名独唱专辑。只需要看看标题，就可以知道他们新推出的这11首现代流行摇滚精品的灵感所在。正是这个关于爱断情伤和永恒浪漫的不朽音乐主题，才促使这支乐队将他们的专辑命名为《甜蜜回忆》。不过，虽然在这十一首歌曲所表达的抒情感触中经常流露出失落情绪，但是“忧伤百万”的音乐处处都经过了精巧细致的处理，确保《甜蜜回忆》永远不会让听众失望。