科學家將“世界末日時鐘”撥慢一分鐘

位于芝加哥大學的世界末日鐘60多年來一直在試圖表達科學家們的觀點。美國東部時間本月14日早上10點，世界末日鐘兩年來首次被撥動，而這一次給人們帶來的是一個好消息，科學家們經過討論，將世界末日鐘往回撥了一分鐘，到23點54分的位置，這意味著科學家對人類的前景感到樂觀。

Doomsday Clock to be moved for first time in two years

The timepiece in New York is supposed to represent how close humanity is to catastrophic destruction – represented by midnight.

Created by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in 1947 - two years after the US dropped the first atomic bombs on Japan in World War II - it was first set at seven minutes to midnight.

Since then the Bulletin's scientific board, which includes Professor Stephen Hawking and 18 other Nobel laureates, has been changed 18 times.

The latest recorded time was two minutes to midnight in 1953 as the Cold War between the US and Soviet Union escalated. In 2007 it was wound on to five minutes to midnight, to reflect the failure to solve problems posed by nuclear weapons.

The clock's earliest setting was in 1991 when it was wound back to 17 minutes to midnight after the US and Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

On Friday the public will be able to watch the change for the first time via a live web feed.

It has not yet been revealed whether the clock is being moved closer to midnight or further away.

A spokesman for the BAS said: “Factors influencing the latest Doomsday Clock change include international negotiations on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, expansion of civilian nuclear power, the possibilities of nuclear terrorism, and climate change.” (Agencies)

考考你

1.數十萬人沖進唐寧街10號，要求首相解除消息封鎖。

2.心急如焚的群眾聚集在各地的公共場所。

3.你想告訴每一個人，他們只能認命了？

4.我們的任務是確保人類的延續。

《2012》精講之三參考答案

1.Christians call it The Rapture, but the Mayans knew about it.

2.You'd have to keep a thing like this under wraps.

3.Somebody would blow the whistle.

4.He was one of my most avid listeners.

精彩對白：Repent. There is still time. Kind of gaulling when you realize the nutbags with the cardboard signs had it right the whole time.

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（中國日報網英語點津　編輯：Julie）