VOA常速英语:A Crystal Ball of Serenity for the New Year

The tradition is more than 100 years old.The first celebration occurred at midnight on December 31st, 1907 and included a balloon descending over the crowd.Now it’s impossible for New Yorkers and those watching on television around the world to imagine New Year’s Eve without the famous ball that’s comprised of more than two and a half thousand crystal panels and thirty-two thousand light-emitting diodes.
这一传统已有100多年的历史了。第一次庆祝活动发生在1907年12月31日午夜，其中包括一个降落在人群中的气球。现在，纽约和在世界各地电视机前的人们都无法想象要是没有了这个跨年球的跨年。球体由两千五百块水晶板和三万二千个发光二极管组成。

The first ball weighed just over 300 kilograms and was one-and-a-half meters in size.Today the ball is more than three-and-a-half meters in diameter and weighs more than five tons. Each year the ball has a special theme.
历史上第一个跨年球重量刚刚超过300公斤，内径为1.5米。而今天的球体内径超过3.5米，重量超过五吨。每年的跨年球都有一个特殊的主题。

This year on the Waterford Crystal Ball we have the theme of the Gift of Serenity which after our 2017 that was full of anger and difficulty is a theme that we think really suits what we need as we head into 2018.
今年的沃特福德水晶球的主题是“祥和之物”，因为上一年我们的2017年充满了困境和不顺遂，所以这次的主题，我认为正是我们对来年的企盼。

The crystal panels for the ball are traditionally produced by the Irish Company Waterford.They’re craftsmen are on site and are working to install panels based on drawings illustrating this New Year’s theme.
球体的水晶板按惯例是由爱尔兰沃特福德公司生产的。他们的工匠正在现场努力安装水晶板并绘制图画阐述新年的主题。

As you look at here, we’re celebrating that Gift of Serenity but you look at this so closely,you can see these intertwining butter files almost dancing in perfect unison and what that is for us is about us as individuals is about us as human beings being the best version of who we can be at all times.
正如你看到的一样，我们要庆祝祥和之物，但是你仔细看看你就会发现这些紧密相连的蝴蝶，它们正和谐的翩翩起舞，这代表了什么呢，代表了我们作为一个人，作为人类，要以我们能呈现出的最好的姿态活着。

The descent of the ball at midnight is only part of the party.Over one million dollars is spent on security and entertainment for this event which is watched globally.
午夜时跨年球的降落只是晚会的一部分。这次全球瞩目的盛会中有超过一百万美元的款项用于安全和娱乐支出。

We’ve got an amazing lineup this year at 6 pm. We’re gonna light and raise the Waterford Crystal Square Time New Year’s Eve ball followed by a dragon dance from Chongqing China and the incredible musical performances.
今年晚上6点我们有一个相当豪华的阵容，我们点亮时代广场沃特福德水晶球之后，紧接着是来自中国重庆的舞龙表演和非常赞的音乐会。

In addition to a million tourists who are expected to watch the New Year’s celebration in Times Square.Another 175 million people will watch the broadcast on television not only in the US but around the world as a ton and a half of confetti will fly over the crowd at midnight.
算上将在时代广场观看新年庆祝活动的一百万名游客，还有其他的来自美国乃至全世界的一亿七千五百万人将通过电视收看现场情况。

For Evgeny Maslov, this is Bob Leverone, VOA News, New York.
美国之音新闻Evgeny Maslov口述，Bob Everyone纽约报道。