1月8日午间双语播报：抗议者冲进美国会大厦 Thousands storm US Capitol

1 / Progress in quantum network

中国建星地量子通信网 

Chinese scientists have created the world's first integrated space-to-ground quantum network that can provide reliable, ultrasecure communication between more than 150 users over a total distance of 4,600 kilometers across the country, according to a study published in the journal Nature on Jan 7.

中国科研团队成功构建出全球首个星地量子通信网，可为用户提供可靠的、“原理上无条件安全”的通信。整个网络总距离4600公里，目前已接入150多家用户。该成果已于1月7日在英国《自然》杂志上刊发。

Led by Pan Jianwei from the University of Science and Technology of China, the research was conducted by a group of scientists over the past few years. Reviewers of the study hailed the achievement as "impressive" and "futuristic", as it is the largest of its kind in the world. It also represents a major step toward building a practical, large-scale quantum internet, they added. In the quantum network, several services such as video call, audio call, fax, text transmission and file transmission have been realized for technological verification and real-world demonstrations, the paper noted, adding commercial use is expected in the near future.

在中国科学技术大学潘建伟的带领下，科学家们为此进行了数年研究。《自然》杂志审稿人评价称，这是地球上最大的量子密钥分发网络，这一成就“令人惊叹”且“具有前瞻性”，也代表着科学家朝着构建实用性广域量子通信网络迈出了重要一步。研究人员在论文中指出，在量子通信网络领域，视频通话、音频通话、传真、文本传输和文件传输等多项服务已实现技术验证和实用展示，预计不久将用于商业用途。

重点词汇

1. quantum

英 /ˈkwɒntəm/ 美 /ˈkwɑːntəm/ 

n. 量子论；额（特指定额、定量）

2. futuristic

英ˌ/fjuːtʃəˈrɪstɪk/ 美ˌ/fjuːtʃəˈrɪstɪk/ 

adj. 未来派的；未来主义的

2 / Free train ticket cancellation

国铁推出免费退票措施

Passengers who bought train tickets before Thursday can get their tickets refunded for free – that's the latest policy announced by the China State Railway Group to help people cancel their trips amid escalating epidemic control pressure. Starting Thursday, passengers can get tickets refunded, along with the insurance fee, at railway stations or via 12306, China's official railway ticket-booking platform, without being charged, the group said in a statement on Wednesday. The measure aims to reduce population mobility and curb the risk of spread of the novel coronavirus during trips, it said. 

近日疫情防控压力增大，为方便群众取消出行计划，中国国家铁路集团宣布新政，1月6日24时前已购车票均可免费退票。国铁集团1月6日发布声明，自2021年1月7日0时起，旅客在车站、铁路12306网站等各渠道办理2021年1月6日24时前已购列车的有效车票退票时，均不收取退票手续费，购买的铁路乘意险一同办理。此举旨在减少人员流动，减少新冠疫情通过旅途传播的风险。

The National Health Commission said Thursday that it received reports of 63 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Wednesday, of which 52 were locally transmitted and 11 were imported.

国家卫生健康委员会1月7日通报，1月6日0—24时，我国大陆报告新增新冠肺炎确诊病例63例，其中本土病例52例，境外输入病例11例。

重点词汇

1. escalate

英 /ˈeskəleɪt/ 美 /ˈeskəleɪt/ 

v. 逐步增强；逐步升高；使……加剧；使逐步上升；升级，（使）恶化；（使）升高，（使）增加；迅速增加，迅速增长

2. curb

英 /kɜːb/ 美 /kɜːrb/ 

n. 抑制；路边；勒马绳

vt. 控制；勒住

3 /  Worker's death spurs investigation

员工猝死拼多多遭调查

The recent death of an employee of Pinduoduo, a fast-growing e-commerce giant, has reignited public concerns over the hectic work schedules commonly adopted by Chinese tech firms. The 22-year-old employee, identified only by her surname Zhang, fell unconscious while returning from work at 1:30 am on Dec 29 and later died in the hospital. 

近日拼多多一名员工猝死，引发了公众对于国内科技公司普遍实行的超长时间工作制的担忧。拼多多是一家快速扩张的电商巨头。12月29日凌晨1时30分，电商拼多多员工、22岁的张女士下班回家时陷入昏迷，随后在医院离世。

The Shanghai labor security department started an investigation on Pinduoduo’s employment conditions on Monday, according to the Beijing Youth Daily. Xinhua News Agency said in a brief editorial posted on Weibo on Tuesday that dreams should be pursued through striving, but workers' legitimate rights and interests should not be sacrificed and employers may be breaking the law in encouraging health-sapping overwork.

据《北京青年报》报道，上海市劳动保障监察部门1月4日开始对拼多多的劳动用工情况进行调查。新华社官方微博1月5日就此事发布评论称：逐梦得拼搏，成功须奋斗，但劳动者的合法权益不能被忽视。让劳动者超时工作、透支健康，是违法操作。

重点词汇

1. reignite

英 /ˌriːɪɡˈnaɪt/ 美 /ˌriːɪɡˈnaɪt/ 

v. （使）重新燃烧；再点燃；重新激起

2. editorial

英 /ˌedɪˈtɔːriəl/ 美 /ˌedɪˈtɔːriəl/ 

adj. 编辑的，主编的；社论的

n. （报刊）社论，（美国电台）评论

3. legitimate rights and interests

合法权益；正当权益

4 / Thousands storm US Capitol

抗议者冲进美国会大厦

The Capitol building was stormed by a mob of thousands carrying pro-Trump signs and American flags on Wednesday, breaking into the House and Senate Chambers as Congress began counting Electoral College votes to affirm President-elect Joe Biden's victory as president. Both the House and the Senate had to recess and evacuate after protesters breached the Capitol. 

1月6日，在美国国会举行参众两院联席会议审议和认证各州选举人团票，确认拜登当选总统时，数千名示威者手持支持特朗普总统的标语和美国国旗，冲进美国国会大厦。在部分示威者攻破国会大厦后，参众两院的议员们被紧急疏散。

Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington declared a citywide curfew from 6 pm Wednesday to 6 am Thursday morning. About two hours after Metropolitan Police cleared the building and the Capitol steps of protesters, the Senate resumed the process on Wednesday night to affirm Biden's Electoral College victory.

华盛顿市长鲍泽下令从1月6日晚6时开始实施宵禁，直到7日早上6时。在警方驱赶了大厦和台阶上的示威者大约两小时后，参议院于1月6日晚间恢复了确认拜登胜选的计票程序。

重点词汇

1. House and Senate

参众两院

2. Electoral College

选举团

3. curfew

英 /ˈkɜːfjuː/ 美 /ˈkɜːrfjuː/

n. 宵禁；宵禁令；晚钟；打晚钟时刻

4. Metropolitan Police

伦敦警察厅

重点单词怎么读？

No.1 quantum

Chinese scientists have created the world's first integrated space-to-ground quantum network that can provide reliable, ultrasecure communication between more than 150 users over a total distance of 4,600 kilometers across the country, according to a study published in the journal Nature on Jan 7.

No.2 futuristic

Reviewers of the study hailed the achievement as "impressive" and "futuristic", as it is the largest of its kind in the world.

No.3 reignite

The recent death of an employee of Pinduoduo, a fast-growing e-commerce giant, has reignited public concerns over the hectic work schedules commonly adopted by Chinese tech firms.

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