英倫翻譯社/ Trsmaster

◎俞智敏

Speaking at the inaugural Reading Agency Lecture at the British Library, award-winning author Jeanette Winterson suggested the cost could be met by Google, Amazon and Starbucks.

作品曾經獲獎的作家溫特森在大英圖書館舉行的「閱讀協會講座」開幕演講中建議，增設圖書館的經費可以由Google、亞馬遜和星巴克等公司來支付。

The three companies were recently grilled about tax avoidance before a committee of MPs. The firms have paid little UK corporation tax although they argue that they operate within tax rules.

這三家公司最近因為避稅而在英國國會小組委員會中遭到議員圍剿。這些公司在英國繳交的企業稅極少，卻辯稱它們都是依照稅務法規定行事。

Winterson said："Either we stop arguing and agree that libraries are doing their best to reinvent themselves, and that with a bit of help, financial and ideological - they belong to the future, or we let them run down until they disappear."

溫特森指出，「除非我們現在就停止爭執，同意各圖書館正盡全力重新打造新面目，只要多一點協助，不論是財務或意識形態上的協助，它們就能屬於未來，否則我們就眼睜睜地看著它們繼續破敗下去直到消失為止。」

"Libraries cost about ￡1bn to run right now. Make it ￡2bn and charge Google, Amazon and Starbucks all that back tax on their profits here."

「圖書館目前的營運經費約為10億英鎊。把經費提高到20億英鎊，並要求Google、亞馬遜和星巴克補繳它們在英國營業獲利理應繳交的稅金。」

Winterson also offered the companies in question another option - "do an Andrew Carnegie and build us new kinds of libraries".

◎ 管淑平

The sharply divided US Congress has been able to agree on one thing at least - that the word "lunatic" should be banned.

極度分歧的美國國會至少在一件事上能有共識：應該禁用「瘋子」這個字眼。

The House of Representatives voted 398-1 on Wednesday to strike the term from all federal legislation, after the Senate did the same in May.

眾議院週三以398票對1票的票數通過，將這個用語從所有聯邦法案中刪除。此前參議院已於5月做出相同決定。

The measure is designed to remove language that has become outdated or demeaning from the US code.

這項議案旨在刪除美國法規中已過時或有貶意的語言文字。

Senator Kent Conrad, one of the sponsors of the measure, said："Federal law should reflect the 21st Century understanding of mental illness and disease, and that the continued use of this pejorative term has no place in the US code."

支持這項議案的參議員肯特．康瑞德說，「聯邦法律應反映21世紀對心理問題和疾病的了解，不容許繼續在美國法規中使用這種貶損用語。」

The only "no" vote came from Texas congressman Louie Gohmert, who said it was madness for lawmakers to waste time on such a measure when more high-profile issues loomed, such as the federal debt.

◎陳維真

The governor of the US state of New Jersey, leading Republican politician Chris Christie, says it’s "ridiculous" to think that his being fat would make him a poor president.

美國新澤西州長、共和黨大將克里斯蒂表示，認為他太胖不能當個好總統的想法很「荒謬」。

Christie is increasingly talked about as a possible candidate to replace President Barack Obama, a Democrat whose final term expires in 2016.

越來越多人談論克里斯蒂成為可能取代總統歐巴馬的人選。民主黨籍總統歐巴馬任期將於2016年屆滿。

In an interview with ABC television late Wednesday, Christie did not say he would run, but continued to stir expectations. The former prosecutor rose to national prominence during last month’s Hurricane Sandy, which struck New Jersey hard.

克里斯蒂週三晚間接受美國廣播公司（ABC）訪問時，並未說要參選，但談話仍引發期待。這位前檢察官在上月因珊蒂颶風而受到全國矚目。珊蒂重創新澤西州。

Christie, in his trademark blue fleece, was a constant presence on television and caused upset in his own party’s ranks when he effusively praised Obama’s handling of the disaster response just before his reelection.

穿著招牌刷毛藍外套的克里斯蒂經常在電視上露臉，並在總統大選前熱情洋溢地讚賞歐巴馬的災害應變處理能力，讓黨內同志大為不滿。

Christie’s weight and possible related health issues, however, would likely be an immediate issue if he sought the White House in four years.

◎魏國金

Carbon dioxide emissions from industry rose an estimated 2.6 percent in a weak global economy this year, a study showed, powered by rapid emissions growth in China and India.

一份研究顯示，來自工業的二氧化碳排放量在今年全球疲弱的經濟中仍預估上升達2.6％，該趨勢由中國與印度快速的排放成長所驅動。

The study by the Global Carbon Project also says emissions grew 3.1 percent in 2011, placing the world on a near-certain path towards dangerous climate change, such as more heat waves, droughts and storms.

這份由「全球碳計畫」進行的研究也指出，2011年碳排放成長3.1％，使世界幾乎篤定邁向諸如更多熱浪、乾旱與暴風的氣候變遷危險之途。

Total emissions for 2012 are estimated to be 35.6 billion tonnes, researchers said in the study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

2012年預估總排放將達356億公噸，研究人員在這份刊登於「自然氣候變遷」期刊的研究中指出。

Current emissions growth is placing the world on a path to warm between 4C and 6C, says the study, with global emissions jumping 58 percent between 1990 and this year. The study focuses on emissions from burning fossil fuels and cement production.

當前的排放成長正將世界置於通往暖化攝氏4度至6度的軌道上，該研究說；而全球碳排放在1990年至今年間飆升58％。這份研究聚焦於來自燃燒化石燃料與水泥生產的碳排放。

A few big developing nations are fuelling the emissions growth, the study says, even though the global financial crisis spawned long-term green stimulus plans by China, India, the United States and others to attempt to curtail CO2 output.

◎國際新聞中心

A mother’s high blood pressure during pregnancy may affect her child’s brain power throughout its life, the American Academy of Neurology journal suggests.

美國神經學期刊指出，母親在懷孕期高血壓，可能影響孩子的大腦功能。

About 400 men had their cognitive ability tested at the age of 20 and then again at the average age of 69. Those whose mothers had hypertension when pregnant scored lower marks.

約400名男性在20歲時接受認知能力測驗，接著在平均69歲時再度接受測試。母親懷他們時有高血壓的男性分數較低。

Hypertension may alter conditions in the womb which impairs foetal growth.

高血壓可能改變子宮狀況，有損胎兒成長。

Risks to children born to mother’s with hypertension have previously been reported, but this study is the first to show possible long lasting affects on cognitive ability.

過去已有研究顯示母親高血壓對小孩的風險，但這份研究是首度顯示對認知能力可能有持續性影響。

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