1
Iconic Arecibo Observatory telescope collapses
传奇的阿雷西博天文台望远镜坍塌
A huge radio telescope in Puerto Rico has collapsed on 1 December at 7:55am local time after decades of astronomical① discoveries. The US National Science Foundation (NSF) said the telescope’s 900-ton instrument platform fell onto② a reflector dish some 450ft (137m) below. It came just weeks after officials announced that the telescope would be dismantled③ amid safety fears, following damage to its support system. The Arecibo Observatory telescope was one of the largest in the world. It was a key scientific resource for radio astronomers for 57 years, and was also made famous as the backdrop④ for a scene in the James Bond film Golden Eye and other Hollywood movies. The NSF said there had been no reports of injuries following the collapse. (BBC)
12月1日，当地时间上午7时55分，波多黎各一座大型射电望远镜在进行天文探索几十年后坍塌。美国国家科学基金会（NSF）称，该望远镜900吨重的设备平台坠落，砸毁了下方约450英尺（137米）远的望远镜反射盘。就在几周前，有官员宣称，该望远镜支撑系统受损，出于安全考虑将拆除望远镜。阿雷西博天文台望远镜是世界上最大的望远镜之一。过去57年，它一直是射电天文学家重要的科研资源，还因成为007系列电影《黄金眼》和其他好莱坞电影的取景地而闻名。NSF表示，坍塌没有造成人员伤亡。
【注释】
① astronomical: [ˌæstrəˈnɒmɪkl] adj. relating to astronomy 天文学的，天体的
② fell onto: 落在......上
③ dismantle: [dɪsˈmæntl] v. to take apart a machine or structure so that it is in separate pieces 拆除
④ backdrop: [ˈbækdrɒp] n. everything that can be seen around an event or scene 背景，取景地
2
Danke struggles to get its house in order, clients left in the lurch①
蛋壳“破碎”，租户束手无策
Danke, which rents flats from landlords and leases them to tenants②, failed to make payments in recent months. Danke was managing a total 415,459 flats across China as of the end of March, a 170-fold jump in a period of more than four years, according to its earnings report. Nevertheless, the firm running short on liquidity③ has been defaulting on rents since September in major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. From early November, some landlords, who failed to receive rents from Danke in time, started to evict④ tenants, many of whom had borrowed to pay off the rents for 12 months to Danke. The company’s crisis points to problems in the fast-growing rental apartment industry, inviting regulators’ scrutiny. “Long-term rental apartment was an innovative business model that filled a gap in the market and received favorable policies, but it has now become a cover for profiteering⑤,” said a Xinhua commentary published on Monday. “Authorities cannot let the exploiters get away.” (CGTN & South China Morning Post)
蛋壳公寓从房东手里租下公寓，然后转租给租客。最近几个月，蛋壳未能向房东支付款项。其财报显示，截至3月底，蛋壳管理着中国各地共415459间公寓，4年多的时间增长了170倍。然而，自9月以来，因资金流动性危机，蛋壳在北京、上海和杭州等主要城市一直拖欠租金。从11月初开始，一些未能及时收到蛋壳租金的房东开始驱逐租客，但许多租客早已借钱向蛋壳付清了12个月的租金。蛋壳公寓的“爆雷”凸显了增长迅猛的公寓租赁行业存在的问题，引致监管机构的审查。11月30日的新华社评论说：“长租公寓本是乘（‘租购并举’）政策东风填补市场空白的创新商业模式，如今却成为某些人‘钻空子’的马甲外衣，相关部门绝不能让‘割韭菜者’一跑了之。”
【注释】
① in the lurch: 使（某人）处在困难、尴尬或孤立无援的处境
② tenant: [ˈtenənt] n. a person who pays rent for the use of a room, building, land, etc. to the person who owns it 租户，房客
③ liquidity: [lɪˈkwɪdəti] n. the state of owning things of value that can easily be exchanged for cash 资产流动性；资产变现能力
④ evict: [ɪˈvɪkt] v. to force somebody to leave a house or land, especially when you have the legal right to do so 驱逐，赶出
⑤ profiteering: [ˌprɒfɪˈtɪərɪŋ] n. the act of making a lot of money in an unfair way, for example by asking very high prices for things that are hard to get 牟取暴利，投机倒把
3
Apple faces lawsuits① in Europe over slowing down older iPhones
苹果因旧款手机降速在欧洲面临诉讼
Euroconsumers, the advocacy group bringing the action, said in a statement Wednesday that the class-action lawsuits cover up to 2 million iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S and 6S Plus devices in Belgium, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Apple has faced public backlash② and legal action around the world after it admitted in 2017 that software updates designed to prevent the batteries in older iPhones from crashing also slowed the devices down. Last month, Apple paid $113 million to settle an investigation into the matter by 34 American states, including California and Arizona. “We’re being asked to be treated with the same fairness and respect as US consumers,” head of policy and enforcement at Euroconsumers told CNN Business. “We have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product or degrade③ the user experience to drive customer upgrades,” Apple said in a statement in response to the new lawsuits. (CNN)
权益组织“欧洲消费者”向苹果公司提起诉讼并于12月2日发表声明称，集体诉讼覆盖比利时、西班牙、意大利和葡萄牙等国的200多万台苹果6、6 Plus、6S及6S Plus设备。2017年，苹果公司承认，软件更新不仅是为了防止电池崩溃，还旨在降低设备运行速度，这在全球范围内引起公众的反感，苹果公司也因此收到来自世界各地的法律诉讼。上个月，苹果公司支付了1.13亿美元，以解决包括加州和亚利桑那州在内的美国34个州对此事的调查。“欧洲消费者”组织政策执行主管告诉美国有线电视新闻网：“我们要求得到和美国消费者一样的公平和尊重。”苹果公司发表了一份声明回应这些新诉讼，声明中说：“我们从来没有也永远不会故意缩短苹果产品的寿命或降低用户体验来推动客户升级换代。”
【注释】
① lawsuit: [ˈlɔːsuːt] n. a claim or complaint against somebody that a person or an organization can make in court 诉讼，官司(尤指非刑事案件)
② backlash: [ˈbæklæʃ] n. a strong negative reaction by a large number of people, for example to something that has recently changed in society 强烈抵制，激烈反对
③ degrade: [dɪˈɡreɪd] v. to make something become worse, especially in quality 使退化
4
Looted① horse head returns to Beijing’s Old Summer Palace
失窃马首铜像重回圆明园
A horse head sculpture looted from China’s Old Summer Palace 160 years ago has become the first of its kind to be restored to its original home. It is one of 12 famous bronze animal head sculptures stolen from Beijing when British and French troops invaded China during the Second Opium War. More than half of the pieces have already been found and returned to China, but are currently on display in other museums. Five sculptures are still missing. The horse head was donated by the late Macau tycoon② Stanley Ho, who bought the artefact③ for US$8.9m (£6.63m) at a Sotheby’s auction④ in Hong Kong in 2007 and later donated it to the Chinese government in 2019. “There is international consensus on returning lost cultural relics to their original homes, and China’s efforts to bring relics⑤ home in recent years have enhanced that consensus,” He Yan, of the Beijing Urban Planning Society told Xinhua. (BBC)
160年前从圆明园被劫掠走的马首铜像，如今成为了同类文物中第一件回归故里的重要文物。第二次鸦片战争中，英法联军入侵中国时从北京掠夺了包括马首在内的12座著名兽首铜像。如今，一半以上的兽首铜像已被找到并重返中国，但目前陈列展示在其他博物馆中。仍有五尊兽首铜像下落不明。马首铜像由已故澳门富豪何鸿燊先生捐赠，他于2007年在香港苏富比拍卖会上以890万美元（663万英镑）的价格购得这一文物，而后于2019年将其捐献给了中国政府。北京城市规划学会的贺艳在接受新华社采访时说：“流失文物回归原属地是国际共识，中国近年来推动‘文物回家’有力深化了这一共识。”
【注释】
① loot: [luːt] v. to steal things from shops or buildings after a riot, fire, etc. （暴乱、火灾等后）掠夺，抢劫（财物）
② tycoon: [taɪˈkuːn] n. a person who is successful in business or industry and has become rich and powerful 大亨，巨头，大实业家
③ artefact: [ˈɑːtɪfækt] n. an object that is made by a person, especially something of historical or cultural interest （尤指具有历史或文化价值的）手工制品，手工艺品
④ auction: [ˈɔːkʃn] n. a public sale in which things are sold to the person who offers the most money for them 拍卖
⑤ relic: [ˈrelɪk] n. an object, a tradition, a system, etc. that has survived from the past 遗物， 遗迹
5
Biden to ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days
拜登称将要求所有美国人佩戴口罩100天
US President-elect① Joe Biden has said he will ask Americans to wear masks for his first 100 days in office to curtail② the spread of coronavirus. He told CNN he believed there would be a “significant reduction” in Covid-19 cases if every American wore a face covering. Biden also said he would order masks to be worn in all US government buildings. In the interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Biden said: “The first day I’m inaugurated③ to say I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask. Just 100 days to mask, not forever. One hundred days. And I think we’ll see a significant reduction if we occur that, if that occurs with vaccinations and masking to drive down the numbers considerably.” Biden has asked top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci to continue in his job and serve as Biden’s chief medical adviser and on the COVID-19 team after Biden takes office on Jan. 20, Biden said on Thursday. (CNN)
美国候任总统乔·拜登称，在其任职后的前100天会要求所有美国公民佩戴口罩以减少新冠病毒的传播。拜登对CNN说，他相信，如果每个美国人都佩戴口罩，新冠病例将显著减少。拜登同时表示，他会要求进入美国所有政府办公大楼都必须佩戴口罩。面对CNN记者杰克·塔伯的采访，拜登说：“就职第一天，我就会要求公众佩戴口罩100天。就100天，不是永远。100天而已。如果我们能够做到，我相信我们会看到疫情得到明显改善，通过疫苗与佩戴口罩使感染人数显著下降。”12月3日，拜登称，已请美国顶级传染病专家安东尼·福奇留任，明年1月20日就职后，福奇将成为他的首席医疗顾问并加入新冠疫情工作小组。
【注释】
① president-elect: [ˌprezɪdənt ɪˈlekt] n. a person who has been elected to be president but who has not yet begun the job 候任总统
② curtail: [kɜːˈteɪl] v. to limit something or make it last for a shorter time 缩短，限制
③ inaugurate: [ɪˈnɔːɡjəreɪt] v. to introduce a new public official or leader at a special ceremony 使正式就任
6
Warner Bros. to stream all 2021 movies
华纳兄弟将在流媒体上映2021年的所有电影
In a sign of just how much coronavirus lockdowns have affected the movie industry, Warner Bros. announced Thursday that it would make its entire roster①of 2021 movies available for streaming on HBO Max in the U.S. the same day they are released in theaters. After a month on HBO Max, the movies will be shown only in theaters. Some of the upcoming② titles include The Matrix 4, Godzilla vs. Kong and In the Heights. The move may have been sparked③ by the disappointing performance of the action-thriller Tenet, which was released in theaters in September. Many of the nation’s movie theaters reopened in late summer, but not in the key markets of New York and Los Angeles. The Associated Press reported that since their reopening, 60% of theaters have closed again. Warner Bros., the second-biggest studio in terms of market share, called the move a “unique one-year plan.” （VOA NEWS）
12月3日，华纳兄弟公司宣布，鉴于新冠疫情封锁对电影行业造成的巨大影响，公司2021年列表上的所有电影将会在线下影院和美国的流媒体平台HBO Max同步上映。但这些电影在HBO Max上映一个月就会下架，之后只能在影院观看。这些即将上映的影片包括《黑客帝国4》《哥斯拉大战金刚》《身在高地》。此举可能是鉴于动作惊悚片《信条》令人失望的票房所做出的决定，该片于今年9月在影院上映。美国的很多影院于今年夏末重新开业，但纽约和洛杉矶等重要市场的影院并未开业。据美联社报道，自影院重新营业以来，60%的影院又再次关门。电影市场占有率第二的华纳兄弟公司将这一举措称为“特别的一年计划”。
【注释】
① roster: [ˈrɒstə(r)] n. a list of the names of people who are available to do a job, play in a team, etc. 名单，登记册
② upcoming: [ˈʌpkʌmɪŋ] adj. going to happen soon 即将发生（或来到）的
③ spark: [spɑːk] v. to cause something to start or develop, especially suddenly 触发，引发
7
Tashi Dingzhen: Tibetan herder① wows Chinese social media with rugged good looks
扎西丁真：藏族牧民凭借野性帅气在中国社交媒体走红
Forget pop stars daubed② with make-up and the latest reality TV show contestants: the most eye-catching star in China right now is a young Tibetan herdsman who has captured millions of people’s hearts with his ruggedly handsome appearance. Tashi Dingzhen shot to fame③ after his first video showed him slowly walking toward the camera with a sunny smile, with towering snow-capped mountains in the background. The video quickly generated a storm of compliments after it was posted on November 11 on Douyin. “How can such a man, wild but pure, exist in the world? I immediately fell in love with him,” one Douyin user wrote. “His eyes are full of stars and are as pure as the blue sky behind him,” another one said. Dingzhen posted a photo showing him holding a sign saying “my home is in Sichuan,” triggering what Chinese netizens④ called the “battle” for Dingzhen between Sichuan and Tibet. Citing Qunar, a Chinese travel platform, media report said hotel bookings in Garze had climbed by 89 percent compared to the same period last year. “He is different from other internet celebrities; his popularity has indeed brought benefits to local residents. I am happy to see that,” a Weibo user commented. (South China Morning Post & ECNS)
忘掉那些浓妆艳抹的流行明星和最新电视真人秀选手吧：目前在中国最火的明星是一位年轻的藏族牧民，他凭借粗犷帅气的外表俘获了数亿人的心。在扎西丁真的第一条视频中，他带着阳光般灿烂的笑容缓缓走向镜头，背景是高耸的皑皑雪山，这段视频让他一举成名。该视频于11月11日发布在抖音上，随即迅速收获无数赞美。“这世上怎么会有如此纯真且又有野性的人存在？我立刻就爱上了他。”一位抖音用户写道。还有人说：“他的眼里有星星，像他身后的蓝天一样纯净。”丁真在社交媒体上发布了一张他拿着“家在四川”标语的照片，引发了一场被中国网友称为四川和西藏争夺丁真的“混战”。媒体引用中国旅游平台“去哪儿”的数据报道说，甘孜地区的酒店预订相比去年同期增长了89%。一名微博用户评论：“我很开心看到，丁真与其他网红不一样，他的走红真真切切造福了当地人民。”
【注释】
① herder: [ˈhɜːdə(r)] n. a person whose job is to take care of a group of animals such as sheep or cows in the countryside牧民
② daub: [dɔːb] v. to spread a substance such as paint, mud, etc. thickly and/or carelessly onto something 涂抹
③ shoot to fame: to suddenly become famous, especially as a singer or actor 一举成名
④ netizen: [ˈnetɪzn] n. a person who uses the internet a lot 网民
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（北京化工大学王林霄、彭哲编译，王润泽朗读，张菊审订）