Casey

Harvard Study Suggests Millennials Have Given Up on Democracy 哈佛研究指出，千禧世代已放棄民主   ◎陳正健

Young people around the world are losing faith in democracy. A new Harvard study reveals that millennials in the United States and Europe do not think as highly about democracy as their parents do. In fact, many young people are willing to get rid of elections.

全世界的年輕人正對民主失去信心。一份哈佛新研究揭露，美國和歐洲的千禧世代不如他們的父母那樣看好民主。事實上，許多年輕人願意擺脫選舉。

The study, which appears in the Journal of Democracy, analyzed historical data on attitudes towards the government in North America, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. What researchers found was a growing shift towards political radicalism in today’s youth. For example, millennials in the United States and Europe are more open to the idea of military coups than their parents.

這份刊登在《民主期刊》上的研究分析北美、西歐、澳洲和紐西蘭對於政府態度的歷史資料。研究人員發現，時下的年輕人逐漸轉向政治上的激進主義。例如，美國和歐洲的千禧世代比起他們的父母，對於軍事政變的觀念更加開放。

Only 19% of millennials in the U.S. believe that it would be illegitimate for the military to take over if the government were incompetent or failing to do its job. Meanwhile, only a third of US millennials believe civil rights are "absolutely essential" in a democracy.

美國千禧世代只有19%相信，如果政府無能或失敗，軍事接管是不合法的。另一方面，美國千禧世代僅有3分之1相信，公民權利在民主政治中是「絕對必要」。

When it comes to elections, more than a quarter of US millennials do not believe free elections are important to democracy. "They have become more cynical about the value of democracy as a political system." the researchers said.

論及選舉時， 美國千禧世代有超過4分之1不相信，自由選舉對民主政治是重要的。研究人員指出：「對於民主作為一套政治體系，他們對其價值變得更憤世嫉俗。」

新聞辭典

millennial：名詞。千禧世代（1980到2000年左右出生的世代）。例句：Millennials surpassed baby boomers as the nation’s largest living generation.（千禧世代超越戰後嬰兒潮，成為該國最大的現存世代。）

radicalism：名詞，激進主義。例句：Radicalism is on the rise globally. （激進主義正呈現全球增長趨勢。）

cynical：形容詞，憤世嫉俗的，冷嘲熱諷的。例句：His cynical attitude gave us a surprise.（他憤世嫉俗的態度令我們吃驚。）

Runners brave snow, ice and cold for Antarctic Ice Marathon 跑者們為南極洲冰馬拉松冒寒冷冰雪   ◎周虹汶

Wrapped up warmly with layers of clothing, gloves, hats and goggles, the runners await the blasting siren marking the start of the race before heading off onto the barren track.

跑者們暖和地包著層層衣服、手套、帽子和護目鏡，在邁上荒蕪跑道之前，等待宣佈賽事開始的鳴槍起跑信號。

Ahead of them, snow, ice and freezing temperatures for one of the most unique runs in the world - the Antarctic Ice Marathon.

等在他們前頭的，是冰雪與酷寒低溫構成的全球最獨特的其中一場賽跑——南極洲冰馬拉松。

Some 50 runners from around the world took part in the event last week, taking on a marked course of 42.2 kilometers at Union Glacier, Antarctica for what organizers say is "the southernmost marathon on earth".

來自世界各地約50名跑者上週參加了這場活動，在南極洲尤尼昂冰河接受主辦人員稱為「地球最南端馬拉松」的42.4公里標記路程挑戰。

The South Pole was only a few hundred kilometers away.

南極離此僅數百公里遠。

Ireland’s Gary Thornton won the men’s race with a time of 3：37.13 hours, while Poland’s Joanna Medras triumphed amongst the women runners with a time of 6：01.45 hours.

愛爾蘭的蓋瑞．松頓以3小時37分13秒的時間，贏得男子競賽；波蘭的喬安娜．美德拉斯則以6小時1分45秒的時間，從女跑者中勝出。

"It was really tough. Well, it shouldn’t have been but I don’t know why, it just was," Thornton said after the race. "I maybe over-heated a bit on the first lap. But it’s good."（Reuters）

松頓在賽後說，「這真的很難。嗯，它不該是這樣，但不知為何，就是那樣」，「或許我在第一圈有點太熱。不過現在很好。」（路透）

新聞辭典

brave：形容詞，指勇敢的、需要勇氣的、華麗漂亮的；動詞，指勇敢面對、不顧；名詞，指勇士、美洲印第安武士。例句：He braved the danger.（他勇於面對危險。）

take on：片語動詞，指承擔、較量、呈現、錄用。例句：He knew he couldn’t take her on.（他自知鬥不過她。）

triumph：名詞，指勝利、巨大的成就或隨之而來的心滿意足、成功典範；動詞，指獲勝、克服、打敗。例句：The architecture is a triumph of modern engineering.（這棟建築是現代工程的一大成就。）

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