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Forbes' list has new names; Gates No. 1 2005年福布斯富豪榜又有新变动，比尔·盖茨仍旧稳居榜首
Bill Gates, one of the world's richest people, pictured 15 February, 2005. It has been a good year for billionaires, with the super-wealthy increasing their collective net worth by 300 billion dollars, Forbes Magazine reported in its annual ranking of the world's richest people. Thanks to a surge in demand for steel, the Internet and Scandinavian sofas, there are some new names among the very richest of the world's billionaires. 由于人们对钢铁、网络和斯堪的纳维亚式沙发的需求迅速增长，全球富豪排行榜上又出现了一些新名字。 Indian steel mogul Lakshmi Mittal, Mexican telecom magnate Carlos Slim Helu and Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad of Sweden knocked several Wal-Mart heirs down a few notches on Forbes magazine's 2005 rankings of the world's billionaires. 印度钢铁巨头拉克希米·米塔尔、墨西哥电信首脑卡洛斯·斯里姆·荷鲁和瑞士家居品牌"宜家"的创始人英格瓦·坎普拉德将几名沃尔玛公司的继承人从《财富》杂志2005年度的"富豪榜"上挤到了后面。 The billionaires are richer and more numerous for the second straight year, but the No. 1 spot is unchanged - Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates led the list for the eleventh year in a row with a net worth of $46.5 billion, slightly less than his $46.6 billion last year. 今年上榜的富豪们比去年更富有，人数也更为众多，但美国微软公司的头号交椅却无人撼动。这已经是微软创始人比尔·盖茨连续第11年高居榜首，他的公司的净财富为465亿美元，略低于去年的466亿美元。 Investor Warren Buffet held a close second with $44 billion, up from $42.9 billion in 2004. 紧跟在第二位的是投资者沃伦·巴菲特，他的资产从2004年的429亿美元上升到现在的440亿美元。 Mittal - the biggest dollar gainer after quadrupling his net worth by $18.8 billion to $25 billion - climbed 59 rungs from last year to No. 3 in 2005. （全球最大钢铁制造商）米塔尔的净财富翻了四番，成为最大的美元收获者，目前其净资产总值为250亿美元，比去年上涨了188亿美元，在富豪榜的排名上升了59位，现居第三名。 Rounding out the top 10 were Microsoft's Paul Allen, German supermarket company owner Karl Albrecht, Oracle Corp.'s Lawrence Ellison - returning to the top 10 after slipping to No. 12 last year - and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s S. Robson Walton. 排在前十名的还有微软的保罗·艾伦，德国经营连锁超市的富商卡尔·阿尔布莱希特，Oracle 公司的劳伦斯·埃利森（去年滑到12名的他今年重返前10），以及沃尔玛连锁超市的塞缪尔·罗伯森·沃尔顿。 The number of billionaires grew to a record 691 from 587 last year, and their total net worth rose by $300 billion to $2.2 trillion. 今年的亿万富翁的人数达到了历史性的691人，高于去年的587人，而且他们的净财富总额上升到2.2亿万美元，比去年增加了三千亿美元。 A confluence of factors contributed to the increase, said Forbes associate editor Luisa Kroll, including positive performance by many stock markets around the world - for example, in Ukraine and Iceland, countries that debuted on the list along with Kazakhstan and Poland - and the falling dollar. 福布斯的副编辑路易莎·克罗尔说，一系列的事实共同造就了这种增长，包括世界各地的许多股票市场的积极表现，以及美元的不断贬值。提到"世界各地"的股票市场，乌克兰和冰岛两国的名字和哈萨克斯坦、波兰一起首次出现在全球富豪排行榜上。 Between February 2004 and February 2005, the 12-nation euro rose about 4 percent against the dollar, while the British pound rose about 3 percent versus the U.S. currency. 2004年2月到2005年2月间，欧盟12国之间流通的欧元对美元的比价上升了大约4%，而英镑对美元的比价上升了3%。 "If you were a euro-based billionaire, you could've done nothing and seen a 20 percent increase" over the past two years, Kroll said. "如果你是一个主要积储欧元的亿万富翁，那么在过去两年中，你可以什么都不用做，就能看到你的财富增加了20%。"克罗尔说。 Soaring commodities like oil and steel also helped make the rich richer, as did the overall recovery of the global economy over the past few years. 过去几年来全球经济的全面恢复，以及对油类和钢铁等商品的需求激增，都使富者愈富。 One of this year's new billionaires - and one of the list's 68 women, up from 53 last year - was Martha Stewart, whose wealth swelled to $1 billion despite her conviction for lying about a stock sale and ensuing five-month prison stint. 今年有一位新的亿万富豪叫做玛莎·斯图尔特，她是富豪榜上的68位女性之一，去年排在第53位。她的财富上升到了10亿美元，尽管她在销售一支股票时因涉嫌欺瞒罪，被判了五个月的监禁。 （中国日报网站译） [此贴子已经被作者于2005-12-7 2:06:12编辑过]
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Early to wed may make marriage happy, survey says 最新研究表明：婚姻幸福与结婚早晚有关
The odds for a happy marriage may favor those who tie the knot between the ages of 23 and 27.
Americans are waiting longer to get married, but they shouldn't wait too long: The odds for a happy marriage may favor those who tie the knot between the ages of 23 and 27, says a survey out Thursday. 美国人往往要经过长久的等待才最终决定结婚，但周四公布的一项调查研究显示结婚不应该等得太久，幸福的婚姻可能会更偏爱那些在23到27岁间喜结良缘的人。 The average age at first marriage in the USA has been inching upward; it's now 26 for women and 27 for men. 目前，美国人首次结婚的平均年龄正慢慢上升，现在女性的首次结婚年龄为26岁，而男性为27岁。 The survey asked a variety of questions about marriage and divorce, including attitudes toward cohabitation and raising children. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said marriage should be a lifelong commitment. 这项研究调查了许多有关婚姻和离婚的问题，其中包括对于同居生活和抚育孩子的态度。88%的受访者表示婚姻应该是一辈子的承诺。 The survey was designed and analyzed by University of Texas sociology professor Norval Glenn for the National Fatherhood Initiative, which advocates marriage and family values. 德克萨斯大学社会学教授诺费尔·葛兰为美国父权行动协会设计了这项调查，并对调查结果进行分析，该协会提倡婚姻和家庭价值观。 To determine marital satisfaction and success, Glenn says, the answers to a series of questions were calculated according to a statistical index, including adjustments for the length of marriages as well as the age at first marriage. 葛兰说，为了确定婚姻是否幸福和成功，这套调查问卷的答案是根据统计指数来计算的，包括婚姻持续时间和首次结婚年龄。 Findings shouldn't create panic among those approaching 30, he says. "Those marriages turned out better but maybe not because of the age," he says. "Some people may be just too picky or too choosy or not extremely desirable." 他说，研究结果不会让那些将近30岁的未婚者产生恐惧，"那些相对来说更幸福的婚姻可能并不是因为年龄。有些人可能太挑剔、太苛求或者不是特别满意，"他说。 Other researchers worry that the findings, based on a 15-minute national telephone survey of 1,503 men and women ages 18 and older in late 2003 and early 2004, may alarm those unattached and marriage-minded. 其他一些研究者担心该项调查的结果会让那些未婚和有结婚打算的人产生恐慌。调查者们在2003年底和2004年初对1503名18岁和18岁以上的男女进行了15分钟的电话调查。 Andrew Cherlin, a professor of sociology and public policy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, says marrying too young or too old carries a greater risk of divorce. But now, "as people wait longer and longer to marry, the definition of what's too old keeps changing." 位于美国巴尔的摩的约翰霍普金斯大学社会学和公共政策教授安德鲁·切尔林说太早或太晚结婚都有较大的离婚风险。但是现在，"人们结婚的时间越来越晚，什么时候结婚才是太晚很难界定，而且在不断变化。" "In the 1950s, 28 was really old to get married. Now it's not so old, which means there are more unmarried people for a 28-year-old to choose from," he says. "上世纪50年代，28岁结婚就属于晚婚了，但是现在，28岁结婚还不算太晚，就是说即使到28岁还没有结婚，还有很多未婚的人可以选择，"他说。 (中国日报网站薛晓文编译) |
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Madonna's new album rules pop charts 麦当娜称霸流行音乐榜 单曲专辑双双夺冠
Madonna arrives at the world premiere of 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' at Leicester Square, London, November 6, 2005.
Venerable pop icon Madonna danced to the top of the U.S. pop album charts for the sixth time in her career on Wednesday with her third consecutive No. 1 release, "Confessions on a Dance Floor." 流行乐坛"大姐大"麦当娜的新专辑《Confessions on a Dance Floor》（《舞池里的告白》）于本周三登上美国流行音乐专辑排行榜首，这是麦当娜的专辑第六次登上冠军宝座，也是连续第三次夺得第一。 Her Warner Bros. disc sold nearly 350,000 copies in the week ended November 20, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and ranks as her third-largest sales week in the tracking firm's 14-year history. 据尼尔森唱片市场调查公司统计，截至11月20日，华纳兄弟唱片公司一周内出售了近35万张麦当娜的新专辑，由此创下唱片公司14年来麦当娜的第三大"畅销周"。 The album and its single "Hung Up" also are No. 1 on the respective British charts. The single is in the top-10 of the U.S. charts. 新专辑和其中的一首单曲《心神不宁》双双跻身英国流行音乐专辑榜和金曲榜榜首。《心神不宁》名列美国流行乐榜单前十。 First-week U.S. sales for "Confessions" fell far short of those for Madonna's 2000 album "Music," which opened at No. 1 with 420,000 copies, but handily eclipsed those of her most recent previous release, "American Life," which started off with 241,000 copies in 2003 and quickly fizzled, according to Nielsen SoundScan. 新专辑《告白》在美国第一周的销售量虽不及麦当娜2000年的专辑《音乐》，当时，《音乐》专辑以42万张的周销售量占据第一，但与最近一张2003年的名为《美国生活》的专辑相比，新专辑增色不少。据尼尔森唱片市场调查公司统计，《美国生活》的首周销售量达24.1万张，而之后却迅速下滑。 Her best-selling album in recent years is the Grammy-winning "Ray of Light," which opened at No. 2 with 371,000 copies in 1998, just behind the unsinkable "Titanic" soundtrack. 麦当娜近几年最畅销的专辑要数获得格莱美大奖的《光芒万丈》，这张专辑发行于1998年，上市第一周销量达到37.1万张，仅次于永不沉落的《泰坦尼克号》主题曲大碟，排行第二。 Last week's chart champion, country star Kenny Chesney's "The Road and the Radio," fell two places to No. 3. In between, was the debut release from "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood, "Some Hearts". 上周的榜上冠军是乡村歌手肯尼·切斯尼的专辑《路和收音机》，本周下滑两个榜位排在第三，本周第二名是"美国偶像"获得者卡丽·安德伍德的处女专辑《心》。 Mariah Carey's hit comeback album "The Emancipation of Mimi," reissued as a "platinum edition" with bonus tracks, jumped 11 places to No. 4 with sales of 185,000 copies. 玛丽亚·凯莉的回归专辑《我心不羁》人气颇旺，唱片公司趁势推出"白金版"，内有附赠歌曲。《我心不羁》上升了11位排在第四，本周销量达到18.5万张。 According to trade publication Billboard, overall U.S. album sales hit 13.1 million units, up 10 percent over the previous week but about 10 percent lower than the year-ago period. Year-to-date, sales are down by about 14 percent at 492 million units. 《Billboard》杂志公布的销售记录显示，本周全美专辑的销售量达到1310万，比上周多10%，但比去年同期下降了10%。今年截至到目前为止，专辑的总销售量比去年下跌了约14%，为49.2万张。 Warner Bros. Records is a unit of Warner Music Group Corp. 华纳兄弟唱片公司是华纳音乐集团旗下的公司。
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Love hurts? So does a wounded marriage 研究表明：婚姻受伤 身体"叫苦"
A couple getting married is seen silhouetted in an undated photo.
There is even more proof that an unhappy marriage is bad for your health, researchers said.
研究者称，新的研究结果进一步证明不愉快的婚姻是健康的一大"杀手"。
The stress that comes from discord appears to slow the initial production of a blood protein that is key to healing wounds, the report from Ohio State University said.
根据俄亥俄州立大学的研究报告，由于相处不和谐而产生的压力会减缓血蛋白的形成速度，而这种血液蛋白在伤口愈合中扮演着重要角色。
Quarreling couples studied in a laboratory setting had a slower wound healing process than when they were not arguing, as measured by how rapidly blisters healed. The blisters were deliberately inflicted on the test subjects by using a vacuum pump on the arm.
研究人员在实验室环境下观察长有水泡的夫妻的伤口愈合情况，研究发现夫妻在吵架时伤口的愈合速度要比他们"和平相处"时慢。这些水泡是用真空泵特意"种"在实验参与者的胳膊上的。
"Couples who demonstrated consistently higher levels of hostile behaviours ... healed at 60 percent of the rate of low-hostile couples," said the report published in the December issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
在《普通精神病学档案》12月刊上发表的这份研究报告说，"经常争执的夫妇的水泡愈合率只有很少吵架的夫妇的60%。"
The authors said there is already a sizeable body of research showing that marital disagreement causes adverse health impacts ranging from high blood pressure and depression to the ability to cope with heart disease and heart failure.
报告的作者称，已经有大量的研究表明婚姻不和谐会危害身体健康，导致高血压、抑郁症、心脏病和心力衰竭等疾病。
"Although loss of a spouse can provoke adverse mental and physical health changes, the simple presence of a spouse is not necessarily protective. A troubled marriage is itself a prime source of stress," the study said.
报告上说，"虽然丧偶可能会导致精神和身体上的疾病，但是有配偶不一定就能够保证健康。糟糕的婚姻本身就是压力产生的根源。"
The Ohio State study involved 42 married couples, aged 22 to 77. They were tested twice -- first in a social setting and then again when they were told to get into disagreements.
参加俄亥俄州立大学此项研究的42对夫妇年龄从22岁到77岁不等。他们参与了两次实验，第一次是在社会环境中，另一次则是按照指示，与对方发生争执。
The authors said stress appears to slow the local, wound-site production of proinflammatory cytokines -- protein molecules produced by white blood cells that play a key role in the early stages of healing.
报告中说，压力会减慢伤口处"炎症前期细胞素"的产生速度，这种由白细胞产生的蛋白分子在伤口愈合的早期起至关重要的作用。
But the study also found that couples with high degrees of conflict had higher levels of the same cytokines generally in the bloodstream the morning after an argument, compared to those who were not in as much disagreement.
但是，研究还发现，经常吵架的夫妇发生争执后第二天早晨血液内的"炎症前期细胞素"含量比没有争吵的夫妇要高出很多。
While greater early production at wound sites is beneficial, the authors said, a higher systemic level is harmful.
在伤口处产生大量的细胞素是有好处的，但是如果体内的细胞素含量过高，就会有害了。
"Elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines have been linked to a variety of age-related disease, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis ... certain cancers, and frailty and functional decline," the study said. "Moreover, inflammatory activation can enhance development of depressive symptoms."
研究表明，炎症前期细胞素水平增高与各种老年疾病有关，如心血管疾病、骨质疏松症、关节炎，并有可能引发某些癌症、虚弱和器官功能衰竭等等。而且，发炎活化会使忧郁症进一步加重。
[此贴子已经被作者于2005-12-24 21:35:25编辑过]
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One of first Christmas cards auctioned 最古老圣诞卡成功拍卖 1.6万美元身价不菲
This undated handout photo issued by Henry Aldridge & Son auction house, Saturday Dec. 3, 2005, shows a 162-year-old Christmas card, one of the first commercial cards produced for the season. The card was sold at auction in Devizes, England on Saturday Dec. 3, 2005 for 8,800 pounds (US$16,000; 13,000 euros).
A 162-year-old Christmas card - one of the first ever printed - sold at auction for $16,000. 一张162岁"高龄"的圣诞卡以1.6万美元的价格被拍卖，它是世界上最早印刷的圣诞卡之一。 The hand-colored card, which shows a family celebrating around a table, is one of about 10 surviving from an original batch of 1,000 printed in 1843, auctioneer Henry Aldridge said. 这张圣诞卡为手工着色，画面描绘的是一家人围着一张桌子欢庆圣诞的景象。据负责此次拍卖活动的亨利·奥尔德里奇介绍，这张卡印制于1843年，当时这批圣诞卡共印制了1000张，而幸存至今的只有10张。 The cards were commissioned by Sir Henry Cole, a Londoner who is generally recognized as the inventor of the commercial Christmas card. 这些卡是由伦敦人亨利·科尔爵士委托画家所作，他是公认的商业圣诞卡的创始人。 The card was bought at the auction in the town of Devizes in southern England by Jakki Brown, editor and co-owner of "Progressive Greetings" magazine and general secretary of the Greeting Card Association. 这张圣诞卡在英国南部小镇德维泽斯被拍卖，买家名叫杰基·布朗。杰基·布朗是《问候不断》杂志的合伙人兼编辑，同时他还是贺卡协会的秘书长。 Aldridge said he was "pleased with the price and that the card is staying in this country within the greetings card industry." 奥尔德里奇说，圣诞卡能以高价卖出，而且还能留在本国的贺卡圈内，实在是令人欣慰的事。 The card was originally sent to a Miss Mary Tripsack, a close friend of the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 这张老的圣诞卡最初是寄给诗人伊丽莎白·巴利特·勃朗宁的密友玛丽·切萨克小姐的。 "We don't know who sent it to Miss Tripsack. We can only assume that they must have been of means, as cards were a novelty at the time," Aldridge said. 奥尔德里奇说，"我们不知道是谁将它寄给了玛丽·切萨克小姐。只能认为，在当时贺卡是富有的一种象征，因为在那个年代，贺卡是很新奇的事物。" John Calcott Horsley, a British painter, designed the card for Cole, who was the first director of London's Victoria and Albert Museum. 英国画家约翰·卡尔考特·霍斯利为科尔设计了卡片，科尔是伦敦维多利亚和阿尔伯特博物馆的首任馆长。 Cole printed 1,000 of the cards on a lithograph stone before having them hand-colored. 科尔随即用石版印刷了1000张，之后又让人给这些卡手工着色。 The card drew some criticism from Victorians because it shows some members of the family enjoying a glass of wine, but that did not keep the practice of sending cards from catching on. 当时有些维多利亚人对这张卡颇有微词，他们说这张圣诞卡描绘的是一家人在一起喝一杯酒，但是这并没有阻止送贺卡成为时尚。 Although wood engravers produced prints with religious themes in Europe in the Middle Ages, the first commercial Christmas and New Year's cards are believed to have been produced by Cole in 1843. 尽管以宗教为主题的木制雕刻中世纪时已在欧洲出现，但是第一张商业圣诞卡和新年卡被公认为1843年诞生于科尔之手。 (中国日报网站编译) |
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Asia celebrates Christmas with a twist 圣诞飘扬过海 亚洲人玩转西方节日
Chef Max Huber, executive chef of a hotel, makes a chocolate Christmas tree at a hotel in Bangkok.
Few Asians are Christian but people across the vast continent are embracing the holiday as a great excuse for shopping, partying and even romance. 虽然亚洲的基督教信徒很少，但是居住在这个世界第一大洲的人们也要"玩转"圣诞节，趁机享受一下购物和聚会的乐趣；而体验浪漫时光，更是这个节日的主题。 Come December, Christmas lights brighten shopping streets in cities from Beijing to Colombo, while images of Santa Claus and Rudolph adorn office buildings, shops and restaurants. 12月以来，购物街上的璀璨灯光从北京一直亮到了科伦坡，办公楼、商店和餐馆里也都有了圣诞老人和红鼻子驯鹿的装点。 Shopping malls in Indonesia, the country with the largest number of Muslims, play carols like "Silent Night" and "Jingle Bells" through speakers during the year-end holiday season. 印度尼西亚是穆斯林最多的国家，在圣诞节前夕，购物商城里频频播放着圣诞颂歌，比如《平安夜》、《铃儿响叮当》，为商城平添了几分节日的气氛。 "Most workers here are Muslim but we also celebrate Christmas just like we celebrate Eid al-Fitr. We are complementing each other with these costumes and ornaments," said Jakarta restaurant receptionist Lina Novianti, wearing a red Santa Claus hat. The Moslem celebration Eid al-Fitr marks the end of fasting during Ramadan. 里娜·诺维安提是雅加达一家餐馆的招待，她头上戴着红色的圣诞老人帽，她说，"餐馆里的大多数员工虽然都是穆斯林，但是我们也过圣诞节，就像庆祝尔代节一样。"尔代节是斋月结束的标志，，穆斯林在斋月里从日出到日落是要禁食的。 Every year the Indonesian president and top officials attend national Christmas celebrations with church groups. 印度尼西亚的总统和官员们每年都会参加教堂举行的圣诞庆祝活动。 In China, Christmas Eve has become one of the biggest party nights of the year for young professionals. 而在中国，平安夜则成了年轻人们欢聚一堂的最好时光。 "Bars, karaoke halls, restaurants, they all get completely packed on Christmas Eve," said Zu Min, who sells Christmas trees and wreaths, "More and more Chinese people are buying Christmas trees now." 卖圣诞树和圣诞花环的祖敏说，"酒吧、卡拉OK厅、餐馆在圣诞前夜都会爆满。现在买圣诞树的中国人也越来越多。" Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, which already enjoys at least one public holiday each month to celebrate the Buddha's teachings, has also adopted Christmas, Easter, Ramadan and the Hindu festival of lights Deepvali, making it a world leader in days off. 佛教圣地斯里兰卡每个月至少放一天假来庆祝佛教教义，而圣诞节、复活节、斋月和印度的灯节在斯里兰卡也成了法定假日，怪不得这个国家的假期是世界上最多的。 Tinsel has even been put up inside commercial aircraft that fly from mainly Buddhist Colombo to predominantly Hindu Jaffna. 从佛教城市科伦坡飞往印度教圣地贾夫纳（斯里兰卡北部港口）的飞机里，也挂了一些金箔和银箔的圣诞装饰品。 "I'm a Buddhist, but we celebrate Christmas because my kids insist on it. We decorate the house and have a Christmas tree so my kids will be happy," said a mother-of-two, laden with gifts. 一位有两个孩子的母亲手上提了很多圣诞礼物，她说，"我是一名佛教教徒，但是我们都过圣诞节，因为孩子们非要过这个节日。我们会装点房间，再买一棵圣诞树，孩子们一定会很高兴的。" In Japan, Christmas Eve has taken on a meaning similar to Valentine's Day, being the time for romance among young couples. 在日本，平安夜和情人节有着近乎相同的意义，年轻夫妇和情侣们会在这一天尽情享受二人世界的浪漫。 (中国日报网站编译) |
Scientists are delaying the start of 2006 by a leap second.
Get ready for a minute with 61 seconds. Scientists are delaying the start of 2006 by the first "leap second" in seven years, a timing tweak meant to make up for changes in the Earth's rotation.
你准备好了吗？2006年元旦到来之前将有一分钟变成61秒。科学家们把2006年的到来推迟了一"闰秒"。此次全世界调时距上次已有7年时间，而调时的主要原因则是地球自转速度的变化。
The adjustment will be carried out by sticking an extra second into atomic clocks worldwide at the stroke of midnight Coordinated Universal Time, the widely adopted international standard, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology said.
据美国国家标准与技术协会介绍，全世界的原子钟都将在协调世界时2005年12月31日午夜加上一个闰秒。协调世界时是通用的国际标准时间。
"Enjoy New Year's Eve a second longer," the institute said in an explanatory notice. "You can toot your horn an extra second this year." 该协会在一个通告里解释说："新年前夜的庆祝将多出一秒。辞旧迎新的喇叭声也将延长一秒。" Coordinated Universal Time coincides with winter time in London. On the U.S. East Coast, the extra second occurs just before 7 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Atomic clocks at that moment will read 23:59:60 before rolling over to all zeros. 而协调世界时恰好与伦敦的冬令时相吻合。在美国东部沿海，这一秒将在2005年12月31日晚上的6时59分59秒被加上。届时，世界原子钟将会显示23:59:60，再跳到00:00:00。 A leap second is added to keep uniform timekeeping within 0.9 second of the Earth's rotational time, which can speed up or slow down because of many factors, including ocean tides. The first leap second was added on June 30, 1972, according to NIST. 增加这一闰秒是为了保证协调世界时（原子时）和地球自转时间（天文时）之间的差距控制在0.9秒以内，地球自转速度的加快或减慢受到很多因素的影响，潮汐就是其中之一。据国家标准与技术协会介绍，第一个闰秒是在1972年6月30日被加入的。 Since 1999 until recently, the two time standards have been in close enough synch to escape any need to add a leap second, NIST said. 该协会说，从1999年开始到最近几年，原子时和天文时一直处于同步状态，所以不需要增加一个闰秒。 Although it is possible to have a negative leap second -- that is, a second deducted from Coordinated Universal Time -- so far all have been add-ons, reflecting the Earth's general slowing trend due to tidal braking. 尽管也有实施负闰秒制（从协调世界时中扣除一秒）的可能，但迄今为止，只有加，没有减，这说明由于受潮汐减速的影响，地球的自转速度大体上呈减慢趋势。 Deciding when to introduce a leap second is the responsibility of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service. Under an international pact, the preference for leap seconds is December 31 or June 30. 国际地球自转服务组织负责决定何时加减闰秒。根据国际公约，一般在12月31日或6月30日在协调世界时中加入或减去闰秒。 Precise time measurements are needed for high-speed communications systems among other modern technologies. 与其他现代科学技术相比，在高速通讯系统中，时间的精确度显得尤为重要。 |
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Camilla marks first festival with Britain's royal family 英国王室圣诞齐聚教堂 卡米拉人气堪比戴妃
Britain's Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and Prince of Wales (R) receive flowers from well wishers as they leave St Mary Magdalene's church after the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk on Christmas Day.
Camilla, the new wife of Britain's Prince Charles, have spent Christmas with the royal family for the first time, in what British media said was a sign of her acceptance into the fold.
今年的12月25日，英国王储查尔斯的夫人卡米拉第一次和英国王室成员共度圣诞节，英国媒体说，这是卡米拉被王室接受的一个标志。
The Duchess of Cornwall, who married Charles in April after a longstanding relationship that continued on-and-off during his 1981-96 marriage with the late Princess Diana, has never before joined Queen Elizabeth and the rest of her now in-laws at an annual Christmas Day church outing. 今年4月，卡米拉和查尔斯步入婚姻殿堂，成为康沃尔公爵夫人。此前，二人经历了一段"爱情长跑"，即使在查尔斯和已故王妃戴安娜婚后的15年（1981年-1996年）中，他们也没有完全停止过来往。今年圣诞节，卡米拉第一次和伊丽莎白女王及王室其他姻亲去教堂做一年一度的圣诞礼拜。 The 58-year-old duchess also took part in Saturday's celebrations at Sandringham House, in eastern England, where the royal family gathers each year. 这位58岁的公爵夫人还参加了圣诞前夕在英国东部桑德灵汉姆宫举行的庆祝活动。每年圣诞节，王室成员都会在此聚会。 Wearing a blue coat and matching hat, the duchess accompanied Charles in a short walk to the Church of St Mary Magdalene from the main house at Sandringham, where they were greeted by hundreds of fans waiting outside. 卡米拉身穿一袭蓝色套装，头上戴着同色系的帽子，当她和查尔斯从桑德灵汉姆宫的大厅出来，一同走向旁边的圣玛丽教堂时，受到在外等候的"粉丝"们的热烈欢迎。 Prince William, 23, and 21-year-old Prince Harry - the children of Charles and late Diana, -followed behind with several other smartly dressed relatives including the queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. 走在他们身后的是查尔斯和已故王妃戴安娜所生的两个孩子，23岁的威廉王子和21岁的哈里王子，以及其他几位衣冠考究的王室成员，女王的丈夫--爱丁堡公爵也在其中。 Many well-wishers said they had not seen such a public turnout at the church for the royal family since the days of Charles and Diana. 很多民众说，自从查尔斯王储和戴安娜的时代结束以后，每年圣诞节在教堂外等候王室的人从来没有像今天这么多。 "I haven't seen crowds here like this for a long time - and I think everyone has come to see Camilla," said pensioner Mary Relph, who lives locally and has been following the royals for decades. 王室随从玛丽·勒尔夫说，"我已经很久没有在这里看到这么多人了，我想大家都是冲着卡米拉来的。"玛丽就在当地居住，她跟随王室已经有几十年了。
Queen Elizabeth, 79, head of the Church of England, arrived separately by car.
79岁的伊丽莎白女王是英国教堂的领袖，她是单独坐车来到这里的。 |
