奥巴马为什么拒绝接受“冰桶挑战”呢？

    最近，“冰桶挑战”趣味活动风靡全球。活动本身是为唤起民众对肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症（ALS）的关注。但是，美国总统奥巴马却拒绝这一挑战。我们来看看具体的情况是怎样的？

 

    President Obama is willing to go pretty far to raise awareness for ALS. But he draws the line at dumping a bucket of ice over his head.

    美国总统奥巴马愿意为唤起民众对肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症（ALS）的关注做许多事，但他拒绝了”冰桶挑战“。

 

    In recent weeks, a number of heavyweights -- including Mark Zuckerberg andMartha Stewart -- have participated in the frigid challenge. Participants are filmed willingly hurling ice over themselves in the name of ALS awareness, then nominate others to do the same within 24 hours or else donate money to an ALS charity.

    最近几周，一些重量级人物- 包括马克·扎克伯格（Mark Zuckerberg）、玛莎·斯图尔特（Martha Stewart）在内- 都参加了“冰桶挑战”。以提高对肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症（ALS）的关注为名，参加者需要拍摄一段向自己淋冰水的视频，并点名其他人在24小时之内做同样的事，否则则需给肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症（ALS)慈善机构捐款。

 

    On Sunday, Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, partook in the challenge with a number of her relatives in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and challenged Obama to get involved, too.

    上周日，埃塞尔·肯尼迪（Ethel Kennedy），已故参议员罗伯特·F·肯尼迪（Robert F. Kennedy）的遗孀，在海恩尼斯港（Hyannis Port），马萨诸塞州与她的一些亲戚接受了“冰桶挑战”，并向奥巴马下战帖。

 

    It was the 86-year-old's way of"welcoming" the president to the area, since the first family was vacationing in Cape Cod.

    这是这位86岁老人“欢迎”总统来到鳕角（Cape Cod）的方式，而肯尼迪家族正是在鳕角（Cape Cod）度假。

 

    The president politely declined, but still offered to do his part.

    总统婉言拒绝，但仍愿意做他应做的。

 

    "The president appreciates Mrs. Kennedy thinking of him for the challenge -- though his contribution to this effort will be monetary," Obama said in a statement issued through spokesman Eric Schultz, the Boston Globe reported. "The president will be making a donation to an ALS charity this week."

    “总统很感谢肯尼迪太太，想到向他下战帖，不过，总统对这项唤起关注努力的出力将以金钱为主。”奥巴马通过白宫发言人舒尔茨发表声明，波士顿环球报（Boston Globe）报道。“总统将会在本周内向肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症慈善机构捐款，”

 

    According to CBS DC, Obama will donate $100 to an undisclosed charity that fights ALS.

    据哥伦比亚广播公司华盛顿分社（CBS DC）称，奥巴马将会一家未公开的抗击ASL慈善机构捐款100美元。

 

    Kennedy should be pleased that her encouragement got the military's commander-in-chief to get involved on some level, since she believes that’s a sign of a successful initiative.

    肯尼迪遗孀应该为让这位军队总司令在某种程度上参与了活动感到高兴，因为她认为这是计划成功的迹象。

    Post by Maxwell Kennedy.

 

    由麦斯威尔·肯尼迪（Maxwell Kennedy）发布

 

    "A good campaign starts at the grassroots and makes its way to the very top,” she toldBoston.com. "Our family is proud to join the wave of advocates championing increased awareness and funding for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)."

    “一个从草根阶层发展到上流社会的活动，”她接受Boston.com时说，“我们家族很荣幸能够加入倡导提高肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）关注并为其募款浪潮。”

 

    The campaign started picking up steam in Boston at the beginning of the month when friends and relatives of former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates got 200 people to do the stunt in Copley Square, the Associated Press reported.

    据美联社（Associated Press）报道，本月月初由波士顿大学前棒球选手皮特·弗雷茨（Pete Frates）的亲戚朋友发动200人在科普利广场（Copley Square）一起进行这项吸引眼球的挑战后开始波士顿风靡起来。

 

    The 29-year-old was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease in 2012, and is now paralyzed and cannot talk.

    这位29岁的棒球选手在2012年被症断患有这种神经性疾病，现在已经瘫痪并且无法讲话。

 

    While some have criticized the challenge as being frivolous, it has lead to a spike in donations.

    尽管有些人批判这种挑战过于轻率，但捐款数额急剧提高。

 

    Contributions to the ALS Association increased by 1,000 percent during the 10-day period that ended on Aug. 7, compared to the same period a year earlier, the AP reported.

    到八月七日活动结束为止，为期是十天的向肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）协会的捐款跟去年同期相比增长幅度达1000%，美联社（Associated Press）报道。

 

    "It's just been wonderful visibility for the ALS community," Barbara Newhouse, ALS Association's national president, told the AP. "It is absolutely awesome. It's crazy, but it's awesome, and it's working."

    “这对于ALS人群来说未来一片光明，”芭芭拉·纽豪斯(Barbara Newhouse)，ALS协会的全国主席，接受美联社采访时表示，“这简直棒极了，它是很疯狂，但是它棒极了，并且非常有效。”