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The recent cold snap may have thrown the rest of the northern hemisphere into chaos, but the frigid conditions were perfect this week in Harbin, northeast China, where giant Buddhas, skyscrapers and even the Sphinx were cut from the ice. |
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雖然最近的寒流導致北半球其他地區都陷入了混亂，但在中國東北部的哈爾濱，本週的酷寒天氣卻是相當理想，巨型佛像、摩天大廈乃至獅身人面像的冰雕都紛紛登場。 |
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The 27th Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival opened on Wednesday, January 5. |
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One of the largest ice-carving festivals in the world, it distinguishes itself not only on scale, but by offering a range of ice-related activities that include ice swimming, hot air ballooning, ice sculpture competitions, and various winter sports. |
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第二十七屆哈爾濱國際冰雪節於一月五日星期三揭開序幕。這個全世界規模數一數二的冰雕節，特殊之處不僅在於其規模，還有舉辦的各種冰雪相關活動，包括冰泳、熱氣球、冰雕競賽以及各種冬季運動。 |
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Fairy lights encased in the translucent ice illuminate the sculptures and buildings, which are built from ice blocks cut from the frozen surface of the nearby Songhua River. |
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嵌在半透明的冰塊裡的彩色小燈點亮了冰雕與建築，這些都是由鄰近松花江結凍的江面切割來的冰塊砌成的。 |
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The festival is expected to draw more than a million visitors this year and cost around six million RMB ($909,000) to stage. |
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It occupies a 600,000-square-meter site, with more than 2,000 ice sculptures constructed from an estimated 30,000 cubic meters of ice by teams from around the world. |
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今年冰雪節預計吸引超過一百萬名遊客，舉辦耗資約六百萬人民幣（九十萬九千美元），場地面積六十萬平方公尺，由來自世界各地的團隊製作兩千多具冰雕，使用的冰塊估計達三萬立方公尺。 |
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A trade fair coincides with the event, which this year included 1,500 exhibition booths, double that of last year's festival. |
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與冰雪節同時舉辦的還有一場貿易展，今年有一千五百個攤位，比去年多了一倍。 |
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Harbin, located in the northeast province of Heilongjiang, is one of China's chilliest cities. |
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Temperatures in January frequently drop to minus 20 degrees centigrade (-4F). |
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哈爾濱位於中國東北的黑龍江省，是中國最冷的城市之一，一月的溫度經常下降到攝氏零下二十度（華氏零下四度）。 |
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The recent chill hasn't been limited to the north. |
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Rain and icy weather continue to cause problems in southwest China's Guizhou province, where more than 58,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, officials said. |
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近來的寒冷天氣不僅限於北方。豪雨和冰冷天氣也持續在中國西南部的貴州省造成災情，官員表示撤離家園的居民已超過五萬八千人。 |
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Authorities ordered the evacuations after freezing rain that had been falling for days damaged or destroyed houses, according to state-run media. |
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國營媒體報導指出，連日來的凍雨對房屋造成損害，有關當局於是下令居民撤離。 |
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Xinhua News Agency quoted a provincial emergency official who said subzero weather caused rain to freeze, and more than 208 homes collapsed as their roofs could not bear the weight of the accumulated ice. |
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新華社引述一名省府緊急應變官員的發言，他說氣溫零下的天氣導致雨水結凍成冰，目前有兩百零八棟以上的住家因為屋頂承受不了積冰的重量而崩塌。 |
