【體育】跳傘慶生，老翁「過世時滿臉笑意」

Birthday skydiver 'died with smile on face'

跳傘慶生，老翁「過世時滿臉笑意」

CHRISTINE KELLETT

December 10, 2009

An elderly man who lost his life on a birthday skydive this morning "died with a smile on his face," investigators say.

調查報告指出，一名為了歡度生日而參加高空跳傘的老翁，在今天早上「過世時滿臉笑意」。

The Surfers Paradise man had treated himself to the tandem thrill experience to celebrate his 70th birthday but lost consciousness shortly after leaping out of the two-seater plane, 10,000 feet above the Gold Coast.

家住昆士蘭州「衝浪者天堂」的老翁為了慶祝七十歲生日，參加了與教練同跳的雙人跳傘運動，尋求刺激的經驗；但在從黃金海岸一萬英呎（約三公里）高的雙人飛機跳出來後沒多久，他就失去了意識。

He died on North Kirra Beach in front of his family - who had gathered to watch him jump - after attempts to revive him failed.

在急救失敗後，他在北基拉海灘上去世，前來看他跳傘的家人皆隨侍在旁。

Police said it was likely the man had passed away as a result of a heart attack, however industry regulator the Parachuting Federation of Australia is investigating the incident and is due to prepare a report.

警方表示，他很可能死於心臟病發作，但跳傘業的主管機關「澳洲跳傘協會」正在調查此事，並將依此提出調查報告。

National Director of Safety Paul Osborne said the man had filled in a medical declaration form which did not detail any pre-existing health complaints and he was cleared as fit to jump.

跳傘安全委員會的保羅‧歐斯本說，這名老翁在填寫醫療聲明時，表示自己沒有任何健康問題，可以跳傘。

The man, who was born in New Zealand, had embarked on the tandem skydive with Gold Coast Skydive's chief instructor Robbie McMillan at 10am following 10 minutes of instruction.

該名老翁生於紐西蘭，他在十分鐘的講解之後上機，於早上十點與跳傘教練羅賓‧麥克米倫扣在一起跳傘。

"It wasn't a foreseen thing. He just slowly lost consciousness under canopy [after the parachute had opened]" Mr Osborne said.

「我們沒有預期會發生這樣的事情。他只是掛在降落傘下漸漸地失去意識。」

"By all accounts, he seemed to be very happy with the jump. He was enjoying himself and had a big smile on his face."

「根據所有跡象顯示，他對這次跳傘很滿意。他非常盡興，臉上滿是笑意。」

Mr Osborne said it was "not unusual for people to pass out" on skydives, especially when they were new at it.

歐斯本說，在高空跳傘時「昏迷並不算少見」，尤其是新手。

He described the man's death as "a tragedy."

他說，老翁的死是「一樁悲劇」。

"People do lose conscious under canopy. It's a rare occurrence but it does happen.

「的確有人會在降落傘下失去意識。這並不常見，但的確會發生。

"We don't really know what causes it. People become overwhelmed because it is a very, very big rush.

「成因還不為人所知。人們在非常、非常急迫的情形下，會承受不住。

"Skydiving is something that increases the heart rate dramatically. It's the biggest thrill you can experience.

「有時高空跳傘會讓心臟劇烈跳動。這是人們體驗到最刺激的經驗。

"We have had medical incidents occur in the past with experienced divers and non-experienced divers, but it is very uncommon."

「過去的確有富經驗的跳傘者與無經驗的新手出現醫療事故，但非常少見。」

Mr McMillan was said to be "extremely upset" by the incident and counselling had been offered for at Gold Coast Skydive staff.

據說教練麥克米倫因此事故而「極度沮喪」，黃金海岸跳傘組織的人員還為他提供心理諮商。

"The company is also working quite closely with the family," Mr Osborne said.

「跳傘公司也傾全力協助家屬。」歐斯本說。

The plane took off from Coolangatta airport about 10am with just Mr McMillan, the man and the pilot aboard.

該架飛機在早上十點於庫倫加塔機場起飛，機上僅有飛行員、麥克米倫與老翁。

From a height of 10,000 feet, it would have taken up to five minutes for the tandem pair to reach the ground before the man could be given CPR.

從一萬英呎跳下到能進行心肺復甦術之前，大概要五分鐘才能著陸。

The industry does not set a maximum age limit, but does make jumpers sign a medical waiver before taking part.

跳傘界並沒有跳傘的年齡限制，但會要求跳傘的人參加以前，簽署醫療事故豁免文件。

As a first-time jumper, the man would have received 10 minutes' instruction ahead of the jump.

對於第一次跳傘的人，在實際跳傘之前，會有十分鐘的講解。

As an instructor, Mr McMillan is required to complete 500 jumps and hold an instructors license before taking out thrill seekers.

像跳傘教練麥克米倫，他必須跳傘五百次，並持有教練資格，才可以從事雙人跳傘運動。

Source at here.

原文請按此。

生字 / 片語

by all accounts: 根據各方說法；根據種種跡象

canopy: （降落傘的）傘

CPR: 心肺復甦術（cardiopulmonary resuscitation）

incident: 事件

leap: 跳

lose conscious: 失去意識（參閱 pass out）

overwhelm: 受不了；不知所措

pass away: （委婉的說法）過世；往生

pass out: 昏倒（參閱 lose conscious）

parachute: 降落傘

revive: 甦醒；復甦

tandem: 一前一後地

thrill: 令人戰慄的；極度刺激的

waiver: 放棄（文件）；豁免（文件）

【健康】長期性健康問題與使用電腦有所關連

Long-term health risk tied to computer use

長期性健康問題與使用電腦有所關連

By Henri Paget, ninemsn

作者：Henri Paget, ninemsn

Workers who spent long hours in front of a computer screen over the past decade may suffer serious long-term health problems, experts say.

專家表示，過去十年長期坐在電腦螢幕前面的上班族，可能會面對嚴重、長期的健康問題。

Weak muscles, sore eyes and depression are just some of the symptoms associated with what has been labelled the "dark age" of computing.

在這電腦的「黑暗時代」裡，肌肉無力、眼睛酸痛、以及抑鬱感只是其中一些症狀而已。

"People have spent a decade chained to their chair, chained to their keyboard, chained to their mouse," Curtin University's Leon Straker said.

「過去十年，人們陷在椅子裡、鎖在鍵盤前、與滑鼠纏在一起。」科廷大學的李奧‧史塔克說。

"Human bodies weren't meant to be sedentary like that ... people are simply not as active as the older generation."

「人體並不適於那樣久坐……，人們不像上一代那樣好動。」

Professor Straker, who specialises in the effects of computer use on physical health, said some workers will face muscle and bone problems earlier in life than in previous generations due to prolonged computer use.

史塔克教授專攻使用電腦對健康的影響，他表示跟上幾代人比起來，有些工作者會因為長時間使用電腦，而更早面臨肌肉與骨骼的問題。

"Sitting in front of a computer increases stress around the neck and shoulder area," he said.

「坐在電腦前會增加頸部與肩膀部位的壓力。」他說。

"In the future it is likely there will be more people with poorer, slumped posture, as well as weaker back muscles and lower bone density."

「將來很有可能會有更多人姿勢不良，同時背部肌肉更衰弱、骨質密度更低。」

People who spend long, uninterrupted periods staring at computer screens should also be wary of sore or tired eyes and blurry vision, said visual ergonomics specialist Jennifer Long.

視覺人體工學專家珍妮佛‧龍表示，長時間不間斷凝視電腦畫面的人，也要小心眼睛酸痛、視力模糊等問題。

The mental health effects of long-term computer use are not well established, but some studies have linked it to depression.

長時間使用電腦的心理健康效應，目前還沒有確切的定論；但一些研究指出，這會導致使用者抑鬱。

Research from Sweden in 2007 found that online chatting, SMS use and emailing were related to increased levels of stress and depression.

一份 2007 年的瑞典研究報告指出，線上交談、使用 SMS及電子郵件，與壓力及抑鬱的數據上升有關。

In Australia, Deakin University PhD student Megan Teychenne has examined links between depression and computer use among women.

在澳洲，迪肯大學的博士班學生梅根‧泰施耐發現，婦女的抑鬱傾向與使用電腦之間有所關連。

Her research shows that women reporting more than 21.5 hours of computer use per week had a higher rate of depression.

她的研究指出，每週使用超過 21.5 小時電腦的婦女之抑鬱傾向較高。

"However, we weren't able to determine whether it was because women became depressed using computers or whether women who are already depressed use computers more," she said.

「然而，我們還不確定是婦女因為使用電腦而感到抑鬱，或是已經感到抑鬱的婦女會更常使用電腦。」她說。

Health experts say workers should take every opportunity to step away from the computer screen, preferably once every half hour.

健康專家說，工作者應該把握每個離開電腦的機會，最好是每半小時一次。

Source at here.

原文請按此。

生字 / 片語

associate with…: 與……相關

bone density: 骨骼密度

blurry: 模糊的

depression: 抑鬱（melancholia: 憂鬱症）

ergonomics: 人體工學

generation: 世代：一代

posture: 姿勢

preferably: 更好地；寧可

prolonged: 特別長的

sedentary: 坐著的；久坐的

slumped: 深陷的

specialise: 專精於；專攻（美：specialize）

stare: 凝視

stress: 壓力

suffer: 因……而受苦

symptom: 症狀

uninterrupted: 不中斷的

visual: 視覺的

【生活】見過 GPS 聲優「澳客凱倫」

Meet 'Aussie Karen' - the voice in your GPS

見過 GPS 聲優「澳客凱倫」

Ever wanted to put a face to the female voice in your GPS? Well now you can, as 'Aussie Karen' tells her story.

想為 GPS 的女聲配上真人的臉嗎？且讓「澳客凱倫」現身說法。

Looking out my window onto the crowded street below, I couldn't help daydreaming. I feel so at home here, I thought.

望出窗外，看著下方人群熙攘的街道，我不禁作起白日夢來。我就像在家裡一樣舒服。

It was 2002 and I was living in New York. As a singer-songwriter from Mackay, Qld, I'd moved to the big smoke to chase my dream.

當時是 2002 年，我住在紐約。身為來自澳洲昆士蘭州的馬凱（Mackay）的歌手兼作詞家，我得搬到大城市，以追逐我的夢想。

And although I wasn't yet performing at Madison Square Garden, I was slowly building a name for myself in clubs and venues.

雖然我還沒有機會在麥迪遜花園廣場表演，但我還是在俱樂部與一些場子裡，逐步建立我的名聲。

Suddenly, my mobile phone interrupted my thoughts.

突然，手機鈴聲打斷了我的思緒。

'I have an audition for you,' my Australian agent bellowed down the line. 'An American company is looking for a native Australian female voice-over artist who's now living in New York.'

「有一場試聽的面試，」澳洲籍的經紀人在電話那一端說，聲如洪鐘。「有一家美國公司正在找人做旁白，條件是澳洲人、女性、藝術家、住在紐約。」

'That's me,' I replied. As well as my singing background, I'd also had experience in voice-over work.

「那正是我啊，」我回答。我不但有歌唱背景，也有旁白工作的經驗。

My agent explained that I would be the voice for some groundbreaking new technology that would be used in cars to help drivers with directions.

我的經紀人解釋說，我要為某種開創性的新科技配音，用在車子裡面，為汽車駕駛指引方向。

'The company wants a range of accents, including an Australian one,' she told me.

「那家公司要各種不同的口音，包括澳洲英文。」她說。

I scribbled down the address for the auditions and headed to the studio a few days later. Walking into the audition, I didn't feel nervous.

我匆匆寫下面試的地點，幾天後前往那間工作室。在走進試聽場地的時候，我渾然不覺緊張。

'Can you read these directions so we can get an idea of your voice's tone and pitch?' the man asked me.

「可以請妳唸這些交通指示，好讓我們瞭解妳的音質與音高嗎？」負責面試的男人問我。

Nodding, I read the information. 'At the next intersection, turn left,' I said.

我點點頭，唸出那些資訊。「在下一個路口左轉。」我說。

'You've got the job,' he announced when I'd finished reading. 'Your voice will be Aussie Karen.'

「這份工作是妳的了！」我一唸完，他就這樣宣布。「妳的聲音是『澳客凱倫』。」

'Great,' I replied, thrilled. The easiest gig ever!

「太棒了！」我回答，興奮地不住發抖。這是我有史以來最容易的演出！

The next week I started doing my recordings, still not knowing exactly how my voice was going to be used.

下個星期我開始錄音，但我仍然不知道我的聲音要怎麼用在新技術上。

I spent the first day reciting the alphabet several different ways. The next day it was the numbers one to 1000.

第一天我用多種方式朗誦英文字母。第二天則是從一唸到一千。

To make sure my voice sounded fresh, I could only record for four hours a day. And although I wasn't singing, I still enjoyed being in a sound studio and using my voice.

要讓我的聲音聽起來有活力朝氣，我一天只能錄四個小時。而且雖然我不是在唱歌，但能在錄音室裡善用我的聲音，我還是覺得非常快樂。

Over the next three weeks I recorded a phone book worth of streets and towns, as well as strange words and phrases such as 'Recalculating' and 'You have reached your destination'.

接下來三週我錄製了像電話簿一樣厚的街道與城鎮名稱，還有奇怪的字彙與句子，例如「重新計算中」與「您已經抵達目的地」。

On the final day of recording, I felt like I'd done a good job. But the technology wouldn't be available for a couple of years. So in the meantime, I focused on my music and kept singing and writing.

在錄音的最後一天，我覺得我完成的是一項了不起的工作。但幾年內這項科技不會上市。所以那段時間我還是專心在音樂上，歌唱與寫作不綴。

Then in 2005, I got a strange call from a friend in Australia.

到了 2005 年，我收到一通奇怪的電話，那是我澳洲的朋友打來的。

'I bought a GPS for Christmas and the voice on it sounds like you,' she laughed.

「我聖誕節的時候買了一台 GPS，那聽起來像是妳的聲音。」她笑著說。

'No way,' I gasped. 'That must have been what I recorded all those years ago.'

「不會吧，」我倒抽一口氣，「那是我幾年前錄的。」

All of my recordings suddenly made sense. Aussie Karen was the GPS voice!

突然我的錄音工作真相大白。「澳客凱倫」是 GPS 的聲音！

Over the next few months, I had an influx of calls from friends in Australia telling me I was in their car.

接下來幾個月，澳洲的朋友們不斷地打電話給我，說我就在他們的車子裡。

'I never realised that you had such a great sense of direction,' one joked.

「我從來不知道妳的方向感那麼好。」其中一個打趣的說。

Then my American friends told me that Aussie Karen was a setting on their GPS too! I had no idea how widespread it would be.

然後我的美國朋友告訴我，他的 GPS 選的也是「澳客凱倫」！我不知道這聲音可以這麼無遠弗屆。

Today, the GPS is in cars all around the world - and Aussie Karen is the most popular voice setting.

現在這款 GPS 已經安裝在全世界的汽車裡—「澳客凱倫」是最受歡迎的聲音。

It's been seven years since I recorded those directions, and in the meantime my singing career has really started to take off.

我錄製這些交通指示已經是七年前的事情了，在這段時間裡，我的歌唱事業蒸蒸日上。

Recently, I was even lucky enough to sing with Norah Jones and Cyndi Lauper.

最近，我很幸運地能跟諾拉‧瓊斯與辛蒂‧露波一起演唱。

But I still love that people throughout the world get to listen to my voice in their car.

但我還是很喜歡全世界的人們，能在車裡聽到我的聲音。

Hopefully one day, it will be my songs as well as my directions they hear.

希望有一天，我的歌聲能像這些交通指示一樣，傳遍全世界。

Source from here.

本文來自此處。

生字 / 片語

accent: 口音

a couple of: 兩個；一對。近年來有取代「several」（數個）的趨勢。

alphabet: 字母

a range of: 範圍；幅度

audition: 試鏡；試音

Aussie: 澳洲人，Australian 的簡稱

bellow: 吼叫；發出吼聲

big smoke: （俗）大城市

daydream: 作白日夢

gig: （俗）演出；表演

groundbreaking: 開創性的

in the meantime: 就在這段時間裡

influx: 湧入；匯集

intersection: 交叉路口；十字路口

make sense: 有意義

native: 本國的；本地的

nod: 點頭

pitch: 音高

recite: 朗誦

scribble: 潦草地寫下

sense of…: …感。例如方向感（sense of direction）、幽默感（sense of humour）

take off: 起飛

thrill: 使興奮；使激動

tone: 音色；音調

venue: 場地

voice-over: 配音

worth of: 相當於；等同於

【奇聞軼事】失蹤的塔斯馬尼亞居民在酒吧裡被尋獲

Missing Tasmanian found in pub

失蹤的塔斯馬尼亞居民在酒吧裡被尋獲

A man from Tasmania's north has been found in a Christchurch pub, unaware that New Zealand police and the Coast Guard had been looking for him for two days.

一位住在澳洲塔斯馬尼亞州（Tasmania）北部的男子，終於在紐西蘭基督城（Christchurch）的一間酒吧裡被人找到。他渾然不知紐西蘭警方與海岸防衛隊已經找他找了兩天。

Michael Craig is in New Zealand for a fishing trip.

麥可‧克雷格（Michael Craig）是去紐西蘭釣魚的。

But the holiday has not been very relaxing for his travelling companion, a fellow Tasmanian. Mr Craig's friend reported him missing on Saturday.

不過這段假期對與他同行的塔斯馬尼亞朋友來說，可是一點都不輕鬆。上週六，克雷格的朋友報案說他失蹤了。

Police started a sea and land search for the George Town man who was last seen leaving a pub at Littleton, near Christchurch, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

警方進行了海陸大搜索，試圖尋找這位來自喬治鎮的男子。他最後被人看到，是在星期六的一大早，那時他正離開基督城附近的利多頓（Littleton）的一間酒吧。

Two days later Mr Craig was found 10 kilometres away at another bar, and Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey from Christchurch Police said he was obliviously unaware that he had been reported missing.

兩天之後，克雷格在十公里外的一間酒吧裡被警方尋獲，基督城警察局的大衛‧哈利（David Harvey）巡官說，他很顯然不知道他已經成為失蹤人口。

"He had been out socialising and not made his friend aware," he said.

「他只是出去找點樂子，卻忘記告訴他朋友。」哈利巡官說。

Senior Sergeant Harvey says Mr Craig and his mate have now been reunited.

哈利巡官表示，克雷格與他的朋友終於團聚了。

Source: Click here.

原文請按此。

生字 / 片語

Coast Guard: 海岸防衛隊，相當於台灣的海岸巡防署（簡稱海巡署）

companion: 同伴

fellow: 伙伴

look for: 尋找

obviously: 顯然地

relaxing: 放鬆的

reunited: 重聚

socializing: 社交（美：socializing）

unaware: 未察覺到；渾然不知

make… aware: 讓……知道

【健康】新一波豬流感疫情將在 2010 年初襲擊昆州

New wave of swine flu expected early 2010

新一波豬流感疫情將在 2010 年初襲擊昆州

Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young says she expects the second wave of the swine flu pandemic to hit the state in February or March next year.

昆士蘭州的衛生局局長珍妮‧楊博士說，她預期明年二月或三月，第二波豬流感疫情將會襲擊昆州。

She told a medical conference on the Gold Coast today the disease caused a thousand deaths in the northern hemisphere last week but Australia's risk is lower because the population is much smaller.

她在今天於黃金海岸舉行的醫學會議上表示，上週豬流感在北半球造成上千人死亡；但因為澳洲人口稀少，因此風險較低。

She says a new vaccine offers safe, effective protection but only 10 per cent of Queenslanders have been immunised so far.

她說新的疫苗更安全、更有效；但目前只有 10% 的昆州居民接種疫苗。

"We know through a lot of extensive modelling that has been done that if we can get 40 per cent of the population immunised then we will significantly reduce the impact," Dr Young said.

「透過已經完成的密集模式分析，我們得知如果有 40% 的人接種疫苗，就可以顯著降低衝擊。」楊博士說。

"Otherwise we will see a very similar flu season to what we saw last year with about the same morbidity and the same admissions to hospitals and ICU."

「要不，我們就會看到跟去年疫情發生時類似的發病率，以及送醫院與送加護病房類似的入院比例。」

Source 資料來源: Yahoo! 7 News

單字 / 片語

admission: 入院；入學

extensive: 密集的

Gold Coast: 黃金海岸，位於澳洲昆士蘭州東南的著名觀光景點。

ICU (intensive care unit): 加護病房

immunise: 使...免疫（美：immunize）

morbidity: 發病率

northern hemisphere: 北半球

significantly: 顯著地

swine flu: 豬流感

vaccine: 疫苗

【旅遊】捷星航空拒載導盲犬

Jetstar refuses to let guide dog on plane

Having only just hit the headlines for refusing a disabled athelete his wheelchair, Jetstar is now in trouble with a couple who were not allowed to take their guide dog onto their flight.

Glen Bracegirdle and Kathryn Beaton were recently denied their guide dog when attempting to book a Jetstar flight.

They say the Jetstar call centre told them 'no dogs, no dogs, no dogs' when they attempted to book the guide dog in, despite the fact that Jetstar's terms and conditions state that guide dogs are allowed .

Speaking to website e-Travel Blackboard, Simon Westaway, Jetstar Manager of Corporate Relations, said that the airline 'unreservedly apologises' for the incident and that a “miscommunication” had taken place.

(Source: click here)

單字 / 片語

apologise：道歉（美: apologize）

call centre: 客服中心（美: center）

guide dog: 導盲犬

hit the headline: 上頭條新聞

in trouble with...: 因... 而惹上麻煩

incident：事件

miscommunication：溝通不良（以 mis- 開頭的字，多表「錯誤」或「否定」）

take place: 發生

terms and conditions: 使用條款

unreservedly：毫無保留的

wheelchair：輪椅

（原文請按此）