中國取消大熊貓預測世界盃計劃
China has only made it to one World Cup, in 2002, but there was some hope it would contribute to this year's tournament following reports that a group of baby Pandas in Sichuan would try to predict the outcome of matches in Brazil.
中國唯一一次進入世界盃決賽圈是在2002年，人們原本希望中國爲今年的世界盃做點貢獻――此前有報道稱，四川的一羣大熊貓幼崽將嘗試預測巴西世界盃的比賽結果。
Chinese authorities have, however, intervened and scrapped the plan. A spokesman for the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas said the predictions were dropped over fears that the cubs would be overwhelmed by cameras and excited onlookers.
但中國當局進行了干預並最終取消了這項計劃。中國大熊貓保護和研究中心(China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas)的發言人稱，預測賽事的計劃被取消是因爲擔心中心將擠滿攝像機和興奮的圍觀者。
'The safety and health of pandas is most important. We won't sacrifice it,' the center spokesman said.
該中心的發言人稱，大熊貓的安全和健康是最重要的事情，他們不會犧牲這一點。
It is a harsh blow to the pandas' dreams of doing something useful with their lives beyond the daily grind of eating bamboo and being pressured into having sex. There is no point them filing a complaint at their designated grievance facility, otherwise known as a panda-moan-ium, because the decision appears final.
這對大熊貓是一次沉重的打擊。除了每天咀嚼竹子和被迫交配之外，它們原本還能做點有意義的事情。大熊貓無法提起申訴，因爲這似乎已經是最後決定了。
The pandas had been expected to predict the outcome of matches by either picking food from bowls marked with the national colors of competing teams, or climbing trees flying certain flags.
大熊貓預測賽事的計劃原本是這樣設計的：在塗上足球隊所屬國家國旗顏色的碗中盛上食物，看看熊貓會選擇哪個碗中的食物；或者看看熊貓會爬上哪棵樹並揮舞某國的國旗。
Paul the Octopus pioneered the grand tradition of animals picking World Cup winners after a dream run of forecasts for the 2010 tournament in South Africa. He also had a good record at Euro 2008. But Paul is dead, and the search for a worthy successor continues.
章魚保羅曾開啓了動物預測世界盃結果的先河，它對2010年南非世界盃的比賽結果進行了預測。它2008年預測歐洲杯的成績也很出色。但章魚保羅已經去世了，人們仍在尋找和它一樣優秀的繼任者。
U.K. tabloid the Sun proudly introduced its World Cup tipster -- Pele the Piranha - last week. The newspaper said its 'Amazonian toothsayer' had correctly forecast the results of England's three World Cup warm-up matches by picking one of three morsels of fish to eat.
上週，英國小報《太陽報》(Sun)驕傲地推出了它的世界盃預測者――水虎魚佩萊。該報稱，佩萊通過從食物中三選一的方式成功預測了英格蘭三場世界盃熱身賽的結果。
But Pele's World Cup has got off to a poor start, as he predicted England would beat Italy in their opening match.
但佩萊的世界盃預測之旅開局不力，它預計英格蘭將在首戰對陣意大利的比賽中獲勝。
'When offered the three choices for England's opening game against Italy on Saturday, he showed no hesitation and munched the Cross of St George grub,' the Sun said.
《太陽報》稱，在預測週六英格蘭對陣意大利的三種比賽結果時，它毫不猶豫地大嚼代表英格蘭隊將取勝的食物。
Italy won 2-1.
但最終意大利以2比1戰勝了英格蘭隊。
