风靡美国的“冰桶挑战”[1]

　　最近，一个名为“冰桶挑战”的活动风靡美国社交网络，比尔•盖茨、马克•扎克伯格以及贾斯汀•汀布莱克等各界名人均亲身参与。我们来看看这个活动到底是怎么回事吧。

　　One of the biggest stunts online and in social media right now had very low-key beginnings on the professional golf circuit.

　　目前在网络和社交媒体上最风靡的行为其实是在专业高尔夫球场上低调开始的。

　　The so-called ice-bucket challenge—dump ice water on yourself, post and tag yourself on social media and challenge others to do the same—got its start among golfers as a way to support pet charities. In just a few weeks, it has become a major fundraising coup for patients and organizations with ALS, a neurodegenerative disorder. It is commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease, after the baseball player who had it.

　　这个叫做“冰桶挑战”的活动要求参与人将一桶冰水浇在自己身上，然后将整个过程发布在社交网站上，并提名其他人来接受挑战，这个活动最初是高尔夫球员为支持宠物慈善发起的。在短短几周内，冰桶挑战成为为肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症（ASL）患者和相关公益组织筹集善款的重要活动。肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症通常被称为葛雷克氏症，是以曾经患有此症的一位棒球运动员的名字命名的。

　　One common stipulation gives 24 hours to complete the dare from the time they are nominated; otherwise, the participant has to donate at least $100 to the ASL Association.

　　被提名者要在被提名后的24小时内完成挑战，否则就要向ASL协会捐出至少100美元。

　　The campaign has caught people ranging from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and performer Justin Timberlake.

　　到目前为止，参与冰桶挑战的人包括美国新泽西州州长克里斯•克里斯蒂、Facebook首席执行官马克•扎克伯格以及艺人贾斯汀•汀布莱克。

　　As of Thursday, the ALS Association had raised $7.6 million in donations in two weeks. That compares with $1.4 million raised during the same two-week period last year. The donations came from existing donors and 145,918 new donors, said a spokeswoman for the group.

　　截止上周四，ALS协会已在两周内筹集到760万美元的捐款。去年同期两周内的捐款总额为140万美元。该组织发言人表示，这些捐款来自已有捐赠人和145918位新增捐款人。