8月24日午间英语新闻：世界海拔最高高速公路通车

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Revised law allowing three-child families passed
'三孩'生育政策正式入法

The revised Population and Family Planning Law, which allows Chinese couples to have three children, was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, on Friday. The amended law stipulates that the country will take supportive measures, including those in finances, taxes, insurance, education, housing and employment, to ease the burden on families in terms of childbearing, childcare and education. 
十三届全国人大常委会第三十次会议8月20日表决通过了关于修改人口与计划生育法的决定。修改后的人口计生法规定，一对夫妻可以生育三个子女。国家采取财政、税收、保险、教育、住房、就业等支持措施，减轻家庭生育、养育、教育负担。

The top legislature revised the law in ord er to implement the central leadership's decision to cope with new circumstances in social and economic development, and promote balanced long-term population growth. In May, the central leadership announced that all couples will be allowed to have up to three children.
此次修改人口与计划生育法是贯彻落实中央应对经济社会发展新形势、促进人口长期均衡发展战略部署的重要举措。今年5月，中共中央政治局宣布实施三孩生育政策。

重点词汇
1、legislature
英 /ˈledʒɪslətʃə(r)/  美 /ˈledʒɪsleɪtʃər/ 
n. 立法机关；立法机构

2、supportive
英 /səˈpɔːtɪv/  美 /səˈpɔːrtɪv/ 
adj. 支持的；支援的；赞助的

3、childbearing
英 /ˈtʃaɪldbeərɪŋ/  美 /ˈtʃaɪldberɪŋ/ 
n. 分娩，生子
adj. 在分娩期的

Cross-border use of RMB hits record high
人民币跨境收支创新高

The share of the Chinese currency the renminbi (RMB) in cross-border payments hit a record high in 2020 and continued to gain steam, according to a report on the internationalization of the RMB published by the China Banking Association. The cross-border use of the RMB surged 44.3% year on year to 28.38 trillion yuan last year, of which cross-border receipts reached 14.1 trillion yuan and payments came in at 14.28 trillion yuan, according to the report.
中国银行业协会日前发布的《人民币国际化报告(2020)》显示，人民币跨境结算规模快速增长，在跨境收支中的使用比例创历史新高。数据显示，去年全国人民币跨境收付金额合计28.38万亿元，同比增长44.3%。其中收款14.1万亿元，付款14.28万亿元。

Cross-border RMB settlements accounted for 47.4% of all cross-border domestic and foreign currency settlements, a new record that was 9.28 percentage points higher than the figure seen in 2019, data from the report shows. RMB interest and exchange rates remained relatively stable amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, making the currency a safe-haven asset for global investors and capital, the report noted.
人民币跨境收付占同期本外币跨境收付总金额的比重为47.4%，创历史新高，较上年增长9.28个百分点。在全球疫情肆虐的背景下，人民币利率、汇率均在全球市场保持较强的稳定性，人民币"全球避险资产"的功能逐步显现。

重点词汇
1、cross-border
英 /ˈkrɒs bɔːdə(r)/  美 /ˈkrɔːs bɔːrdər/ 
adj. （公司）跨国的；（贸易）越过两边国界的；（袭击）跨过国境的

2、settlement
英 /ˈsetlmənt/  美 /ˈsetlmənt/ 
n. [会计] 结算；解决，处理；沉降；殖民

World's highest expressway opens to traffic

世界海拔最高高速公路通车

The world's highest expressway, running between the city of Nagchu and Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, went into operation on Saturday, with the opening of the final 227-km section between Nagchu and Yangbajan, according to the Ministry of Transport. The Nagchu-Lhasa expressway, running 295 km with an average altitude of over 4,500 meters, is part of the expressway linking Beijing and Lhasa, and is the first highway connecting Lhasa and the grasslands of northern Tibet. 
来自交通运输部的消息，8月21日，长227公里的G6京藏高速那曲至羊八井段通车试运行，至此，世界上海拔最高的高速公路——那曲-拉萨高速公路全线通车。那拉高速公路全长295公里、平均海拔超过4500米，是连接北京和拉萨的高速公路的一部分，也是连接西藏自治区首府拉萨与藏北草原的第一条高速公路。

Its operation will shorten the drive between Lhasa and the city of Nagchu to three hours from more than six. It will significantly enlarge the transport capacity and improve the level of security of the corridor connecting Tibet with northwest China's Qinghai province, said an official with the ministry. The Yangbajan-Lhasa section of the expressway opened to traffic in October 2020.
通车后，拉萨市与那曲市之间的车程将由过去的6个多小时缩短至现在的3个小时。交通运输部官员称，那拉高速公路将显著提升青藏大通道的通行能力和安全保障水平。那拉高速羊八井至拉萨段已于去年10月通车。

重点词汇
1、opens to traffic
使通车；开放通车

2、go into operation
生效；开始运转；开始工作

South Korea to give animals legal status
韩国拟赋予动物法律地位

South Korea plans to change its civil code to grant animals legal status, Choung Jae-min, legal counsel at the country's justice ministry, told Reuters. The amendment will probably be approved by parliament in September and will recognise animals as sentient beings, with a right to protection and welfare. 
韩国司法部法律顾问庄载民(音译)告诉路透社称，韩国计划修改民法，赋予动物法律地位。韩国国会很可能会在9月通过这项修正案，承认动物是有知觉的生物，且拥有被保护及享受福利的权利。

The number of animal abuse cases in the country increased from 69 in 2010 to 914 in 2019, data published by a lawmaker's office showed. Under the current legal system, animals are treated as objects, Jae-Min said. Once the Civil Act declares animals are no longer simply things, judges and prosecutors will have more options when determining sentences, he said.
韩国某议员办公室发布的数据显示，韩国虐待动物案件数量从2010年的69件上升到了2019年的914件。庄载民称，按照现行的法律体系，动物被当成物品来对待。一旦民法宣布动物不再是物品，法官和检察官在裁决时将有更多选择。

重点词汇
1、sentient
英 /ˈsentiənt; ˈsenʃnt/  美 /ˈsentiənt,ˈsenʃnt/
adj. 有感情的；有感觉力的；意识到的
n. 有知觉的人

2、prosecutor
英 /ˈprɒsɪkjuːtə(r)/  美 /ˈprɑːsɪkjuːtər/ 
n. 检察官；公诉人；[法] 起诉人；实行者