又中又英｜Dog day afternoons

又中又英｜Dog day afternoons

It is common for dogs to become lethargic in the afternoon on very hot days. They lay around and languish in the summer heat. Some people also become lethargic on hot and sunny afternoons. If you feel lethargic, it means to feel tired, lazy, and have no energy.  The word "languish" has many meanings but used this way it means to become weak and tired. There is an interesting expression to describe dogs and even people who feel lethargic and languish during hot afternoons. The expression is dog day afternoon. It refers to hot, sleepy afternoons when dogs prefer to languish in the summer heat.

Dog day afternoons are part of the summer when afternoons are hottest, usually from July to August. Climate change has made dog day afternoons even hotter. Scientists say July, which has just ended, was the hottest on record globally. August could be even hotter. If world leaders don't get their act together right away to slow global warming, there could be dog day afternoons even in the spring and autumn. To get your act together means to start organizing so that you can do things more effectively. I have written before about climate change deniers. These are people who don’t believe climate change is changing weather patterns, causing extreme heat, floods, and drought.

They have eyes but refuse to see the extreme changes in global weather patterns. Climate change may not seriously affect them but will surely affect their children and grandchildren. Slowing global warming is everyone's responsibility. Climate change deniers should get their act together.

在酷热天气的下午，狗只变得倦怠（lethargic）是很常见的。在夏天的炎热下，它们会懒散而毫无生气（languish）。在炎热而阳光普照的下午，有些人也会变得没精打采的（lethargic）。若你感到 lethargic，意即你感到倦怠、懒洋洋、没有精神的。而 languish一字有许多意思，在这里则解作变得衰弱和乏力。有一个有趣的习语，是用来形容狗甚至人在炎热的下午感到倦怠（lethargic）而变得毫无生气的（languish），那就是 dog day afternoon。它是指炎热、令人昏昏欲睡的下午，在夏日酷暑下，就是狗只也变得倦怠乏力（languish）。

「狗日下午」（dog day afternoons）是夏季最热的下午时分，通常在七至八月期间。气候变化导致狗日下午（dog day afternoons）变得更为酷热。科学家说，刚刚完结的七月，是全球有纪录以来最热的一个月。八月可能会更热。若世界领袖不立即集中火力，仔细筹划（get their act together），延缓全球暖化，狗日下午（dog day afternoons）恐怕会在春天和秋天出现。To get your act together是指开始组织安排，好能有条理及有效率地办事。我之前也曾写过气候变化的否定者。这些人并不相信气候变化正在改变天气模式，带来极端炎热天气、洪水泛滥和乾旱。 

他们有眼却拒绝看见全球天气模式的极端改变。气候变化或许不会严重影响到他们，未来却一定会影响到他们的子女和子孙。延缓全球暖化是每一个人的责任。否定气候变化的人好应认真行动起来（get their act together）。

[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻