英語(yǔ)文化：25件你不知道的BBC的那些事兒
摘要：BBC電臺(tái)的嗶嗶聲是格林尼治報(bào)時(shí)信號(hào)。每小時(shí)的最開始會(huì)響起此聲，這樣人們可以調(diào)對(duì)手表。
Spaghetti on trees BBC
1. In 1957, the BBC aired an April Fools segment showing a family harvesting spaghetti from the family spaghetti tree. When viewers asked how they could grow their own, they were told to place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.
1. 1957年，BBC在愚人節(jié)那天在電視上播放了一家人從意大利面樹收獲意大利面的畫面。觀眾打進(jìn)電話詢問(wèn)如何種植意大利面樹，BBC告訴他們將一小根意大利面條種在番茄醬罐子里，然后祈禱。
2. On April Fool’s day in 1976, BBC convinced many listeners that a special alignment of the planets would temporarily decrease gravity on Earth. Phone lines were flooded with callers who claimed they felt the effects.
2. 1976年愚人節(jié)的時(shí)候，BBC報(bào)道稱幾個(gè)星球?qū)⒍虝旱嘏懦梢恍袕亩淖兊厍蛏系闹亓?，很多聽眾相信了。自認(rèn)為感受到該效應(yīng)的聽眾電話蜂擁而至。
3. Rage Against the Machine were told to censor the lyrics of Killing In The Name while performing live on BBC. They started out censored before launching into the full lyrics: “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!”
3. 憤怒對(duì)抗體制樂(lè)隊(duì)被要求在BBC現(xiàn)場(chǎng)演奏時(shí)刪改Killing In The Name中不適合的歌詞。他們唱的第一句就被刪掉了：“操媽的，你的話我偏不做!”
4. On one day in 1930, the BBC went on the air and announced “there is no news” and played piano music.
4. 1930年一天，BBC開始播放的時(shí)候宣布“今天沒(méi)有新聞”，然后播放了鋼琴曲。
5. The BBC offers free online language courses.
5. BBC提供網(wǎng)上免費(fèi)語(yǔ)言課程。
IMAGE SHOWS: THE TARDIS DOCTOR WHO SERIES 2 EMBARGO - THIS IMAGE CANNOT BE USED BEFORE BBC'S TRANSMISSION DATE WARNING
6. The BBC now owns the rights to the iconic police box.
6. BBC現(xiàn)在擁有這個(gè)極具象征意義的電話亭的產(chǎn)權(quán)。
7. In the 1960’s, Pirate Radio boats in international waters broadcasted pop and rock to tens of millions of British listeners. The BBC, which until then mostly catered to classical tastes, was forced to restructure and meet the demand for these genres.
7. 1960年代，停靠在國(guó)際海域的海盜電臺(tái)向千萬(wàn)英國(guó)聽眾播放流行和搖滾音樂(lè)。BBC那時(shí)只播放經(jīng)典音樂(lè)，不過(guò)因此被迫改版來(lái)迎合這些類別的需求。
8. The song “Deep in the Heart of Texas” was banned by BBC “during working hours “on the grounds that its infectious melody might cause wartime factory-hands to neglect their tools while they clapped in time with the song.”
8. BBC禁止在工作時(shí)間播放“Deep in the Heart of Texas”，理由是“這首歌動(dòng)感的曲調(diào)可能會(huì)讓戰(zhàn)時(shí)的工人忘記手中的工具和著音樂(lè)拍起手來(lái)。”
9. BBC staff openly smoked marijuana at the corporation’s headquarters during the 1960s and 70s and Play School presenters even went on-air stoned.
9. BBC員工在60和70年代期間曾公開在公司總部抽大麻，Play School的表演者甚至在上臺(tái)時(shí)還是嗨的。
注：Play School是英國(guó)一檔兒童電視欄目。
10. Over 100 Doctor Who episodes were “taped over” by the BBC after airing and are likely lost forever, unless recorded on VHS, which was a rarer technology at that time.
10. 有一百多集神秘博士的錄影帶在播出后被BBC覆蓋錄制了其他東西，所以可能永久丟失了，除非有人錄在了VHS上，但那時(shí)VHS還很罕見。
Monty Python
11. BBC was going to wipe the Monty Python series to re-use the tapes. Terry Jones, at the last minute, saved the tapes by buying them outright from the BBC and storing them in his attic.
11. BBC打算抹掉蒙提·派森系列的錄影帶錄制其他東西。Terry Jones臨危前一秒以向BBC買斷的方式搶救到了錄像帶，并藏在了自己的閣樓里。
注：Terry Jones是蒙提·派森這個(gè)超現(xiàn)實(shí)幽默劇的成員之一。
12. In 2004, an activist from The Yes Men falsely claiming to represent Dow Chemicals was interviewed by BBC, claiming Dow had agreed to a billion settlement for victims of the 1984 Bhopal, India chemical disaster (in which 3,000 people died). Dow lost
摘要：BBC電臺(tái)的嗶嗶聲是格林尼治報(bào)時(shí)信號(hào)。每小時(shí)的最開始會(huì)響起此聲，這樣人們可以調(diào)對(duì)手表。
Spaghetti on trees BBC
1. In 1957, the BBC aired an April Fools segment showing a family harvesting spaghetti from the family spaghetti tree. When viewers asked how they could grow their own, they were told to place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.
1. 1957年，BBC在愚人節(jié)那天在電視上播放了一家人從意大利面樹收獲意大利面的畫面。觀眾打進(jìn)電話詢問(wèn)如何種植意大利面樹，BBC告訴他們將一小根意大利面條種在番茄醬罐子里，然后祈禱。
2. On April Fool’s day in 1976, BBC convinced many listeners that a special alignment of the planets would temporarily decrease gravity on Earth. Phone lines were flooded with callers who claimed they felt the effects.
2. 1976年愚人節(jié)的時(shí)候，BBC報(bào)道稱幾個(gè)星球?qū)⒍虝旱嘏懦梢恍袕亩淖兊厍蛏系闹亓?，很多聽眾相信了。自認(rèn)為感受到該效應(yīng)的聽眾電話蜂擁而至。
3. Rage Against the Machine were told to censor the lyrics of Killing In The Name while performing live on BBC. They started out censored before launching into the full lyrics: “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!”
3. 憤怒對(duì)抗體制樂(lè)隊(duì)被要求在BBC現(xiàn)場(chǎng)演奏時(shí)刪改Killing In The Name中不適合的歌詞。他們唱的第一句就被刪掉了：“操媽的，你的話我偏不做!”
4. On one day in 1930, the BBC went on the air and announced “there is no news” and played piano music.
4. 1930年一天，BBC開始播放的時(shí)候宣布“今天沒(méi)有新聞”，然后播放了鋼琴曲。
5. The BBC offers free online language courses.
5. BBC提供網(wǎng)上免費(fèi)語(yǔ)言課程。
IMAGE SHOWS: THE TARDIS DOCTOR WHO SERIES 2 EMBARGO - THIS IMAGE CANNOT BE USED BEFORE BBC'S TRANSMISSION DATE WARNING
6. The BBC now owns the rights to the iconic police box.
6. BBC現(xiàn)在擁有這個(gè)極具象征意義的電話亭的產(chǎn)權(quán)。
7. In the 1960’s, Pirate Radio boats in international waters broadcasted pop and rock to tens of millions of British listeners. The BBC, which until then mostly catered to classical tastes, was forced to restructure and meet the demand for these genres.
7. 1960年代，?？吭趪?guó)際海域的海盜電臺(tái)向千萬(wàn)英國(guó)聽眾播放流行和搖滾音樂(lè)。BBC那時(shí)只播放經(jīng)典音樂(lè)，不過(guò)因此被迫改版來(lái)迎合這些類別的需求。
8. The song “Deep in the Heart of Texas” was banned by BBC “during working hours “on the grounds that its infectious melody might cause wartime factory-hands to neglect their tools while they clapped in time with the song.”
8. BBC禁止在工作時(shí)間播放“Deep in the Heart of Texas”，理由是“這首歌動(dòng)感的曲調(diào)可能會(huì)讓戰(zhàn)時(shí)的工人忘記手中的工具和著音樂(lè)拍起手來(lái)。”
9. BBC staff openly smoked marijuana at the corporation’s headquarters during the 1960s and 70s and Play School presenters even went on-air stoned.
9. BBC員工在60和70年代期間曾公開在公司總部抽大麻，Play School的表演者甚至在上臺(tái)時(shí)還是嗨的。
注：Play School是英國(guó)一檔兒童電視欄目。
10. Over 100 Doctor Who episodes were “taped over” by the BBC after airing and are likely lost forever, unless recorded on VHS, which was a rarer technology at that time.
10. 有一百多集神秘博士的錄影帶在播出后被BBC覆蓋錄制了其他東西，所以可能永久丟失了，除非有人錄在了VHS上，但那時(shí)VHS還很罕見。
Monty Python
11. BBC was going to wipe the Monty Python series to re-use the tapes. Terry Jones, at the last minute, saved the tapes by buying them outright from the BBC and storing them in his attic.
11. BBC打算抹掉蒙提·派森系列的錄影帶錄制其他東西。Terry Jones臨危前一秒以向BBC買斷的方式搶救到了錄像帶，并藏在了自己的閣樓里。
注：Terry Jones是蒙提·派森這個(gè)超現(xiàn)實(shí)幽默劇的成員之一。
12. In 2004, an activist from The Yes Men falsely claiming to represent Dow Chemicals was interviewed by BBC, claiming Dow had agreed to a $12 billion settlement for victims of the 1984 Bhopal, India chemical disaster (in which 3,000 people died). Dow lost $2 billion in the ensuing stock selloff.
12. 2004年， 沒(méi)問(wèn)題先生(The Yes Men)的一位成員謊稱自己代表陶氏化學(xué)接受BBC的采訪，聲稱陶氏同意了1984年印度博帕爾化學(xué)事件受害者的120億撫慰金。Dow在隨后的股票拋售中損失20億美元。
注：The Yes Men是一個(gè)以惡搞政府組織和大型企業(yè)起家的團(tuán)體。他們的用意是要曝光政府和大企業(yè)不負(fù)責(zé)任的行為，以惡作劇的方式引起大眾的注意力。他們拍了三部電影，分別是The Yes Men, The Yes Men Fix The World, The Yes Men Are Revolting, 記錄了他們的所作所為和一些成就，電影不凡幽默和譏諷。
13. The Sex Pistol’s “God Save the Queen”, released during her silver jubilee, was considered controversial by the BBC and its spot on the top hits charts was left as an empty space.
13. 性手槍的“天佑女王”一歌，在英國(guó)女王即位25周年之際發(fā)布，BBC認(rèn)為爭(zhēng)議太大而將該曲在流行音樂(lè)榜首的位置隱去不談。
14. In order to capture footage of tigers hunting in the wild, instead of using a human camera crew, the BBC gave cameras to a team of elephants and trained them to operate the film equipment.
14. BBC為拍攝老虎在野外捕食的畫面，不用人工攝像組，而是將攝像機(jī)按在了一隊(duì)大象的身上，并訓(xùn)練他們使用攝影設(shè)備。
15. Due to widespread news coverage of the JFK assassination, the BBC figured a lot of people missed the airing of the first ever episode of Doctor Who. Consequently, they re-aired it one week later.
15. 因?yàn)槊绹?guó)肯尼迪總統(tǒng)被刺一事鋪天蓋地的報(bào)道，BBC認(rèn)為很多人肯定錯(cuò)過(guò)了神秘博士有史以來(lái)的第一集。因此，BBC在一周后重播了一次。
16. In 2006, the BBC mistakenly interviewed a guy live on TV thinking he was an IT magazine editor, but really he was just there to apply for a job.
16. 2006年，BBC錯(cuò)誤地采訪了一位他們以為是IT雜志編輯的人，而實(shí)際上那人只是到那兒求職的。
17. Despite working for the BBC as a broadcaster and dying in 1950, there are no known recordings of George Orwell’s voice.
17. 雖然喬治·奧威爾曾為BBC做過(guò)新聞主播，在1950年去世，但是并沒(méi)有留下他的任何錄音。
注：?jiǎn)讨?middot;奧威爾是英國(guó)著名作家，著有《動(dòng)物莊園》《1984》等諷刺現(xiàn)實(shí)的小說(shuō)，因小說(shuō)中的語(yǔ)言在后50年不斷被印證而在西方國(guó)家具有廣泛的影響。
18. In the 1980s, BBC televised a live demonstration of email. Prior to transmission, a studio guest overheard a crew member saying the email account password and phoned a friendly hacker. Once on air, the presenter logged in and was met with a poem about hacking and insecure passwords.
18. 1980年代，BBC曾在電視上現(xiàn)場(chǎng)展示電郵的使用方法。在播出之前，錄音棚的嘉賓偷聽到工作人員說(shuō)郵箱密碼，他便打電話給一位不壞惡意的黑客。節(jié)目播出后，主播登錄郵箱，結(jié)果看到一首關(guān)于黑客技術(shù)和密碼不安全的打油詩(shī)。
19. Britons have to pay $230 for a “television license” every year as a tax to support the BBC.
19. 英國(guó)人每年必須為“電視許可”支付$230的稅費(fèi)以此支持BBC。
20. The BBC News channel has a show dedicated to viewers criticizing how well they have reported the week’s events.
20. BBC新聞?lì)l道專門有一檔節(jié)目，為觀眾提供批評(píng)指正BBC報(bào)道的機(jī)會(huì)。
21. The Dalek voice in Doctor Who (2005) is recorded through a custom analog ring modulator. BBC was unable to reproduce the original effect digitally.
21. 神秘博士的外星人Dalex的聲音是由一個(gè)特制的環(huán)形調(diào)控器才錄制成功的，因?yàn)锽BC當(dāng)時(shí)還無(wú)法用數(shù)字技術(shù)做出該效果。
22. British nuclear submarines have orders to launch nuclear missiles if they cannot tune into BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ program for a number of consecutive days.
22. 英國(guó)核潛艇在連續(xù)幾天無(wú)法收聽到BBC廣播四臺(tái)的《今日》節(jié)目后可被允許發(fā)射核導(dǎo)彈。
23. Much of the BBC’s output between the 1930’s and 1980’s has been lost due to a lack of archival policy.
23. BBC在三十年代到八十年代之間的作品已大多流失，因?yàn)楫?dāng)時(shí)缺乏歸檔制度。
24. From the 30s to the end of the Cold War, MI5 had an officer working at the BBC to ensure they wouldn’t hire communists.
24. 從三十年代到冷戰(zhàn)結(jié)束，MI5都派一個(gè)人到BBC工作以便監(jiān)管他們不聘任任何共產(chǎn)黨。
注：MI5是英國(guó)的情報(bào)機(jī)構(gòu)。(這個(gè)地球人都知道吧)
25. The beeps you hear on BBC radio is the Greenwich Time Signal. It beeps at the top of the hour so you could sync your watch.
25. BBC電臺(tái)的嗶嗶聲是格林尼治報(bào)時(shí)信號(hào)。每小時(shí)的最開始會(huì)響起此聲，這樣人們可以調(diào)對(duì)手表。
billion in the ensuing stock selloff.12. 2004年， 沒(méi)問(wèn)題先生(The Yes Men)的一位成員謊稱自己代表陶氏化學(xué)接受BBC的采訪，聲稱陶氏同意了1984年印度博帕爾化學(xué)事件受害者的120億撫慰金。Dow在隨后的股票拋售中損失20億美元。
注：The Yes Men是一個(gè)以惡搞政府組織和大型企業(yè)起家的團(tuán)體。他們的用意是要曝光政府和大企業(yè)不負(fù)責(zé)任的行為，以惡作劇的方式引起大眾的注意力。他們拍了三部電影，分別是The Yes Men, The Yes Men Fix The World, The Yes Men Are Revolting, 記錄了他們的所作所為和一些成就，電影不凡幽默和譏諷。
13. The Sex Pistol’s “God Save the Queen”, released during her silver jubilee, was considered controversial by the BBC and its spot on the top hits charts was left as an empty space.
13. 性手槍的“天佑女王”一歌，在英國(guó)女王即位25周年之際發(fā)布，BBC認(rèn)為爭(zhēng)議太大而將該曲在流行音樂(lè)榜首的位置隱去不談。
14. In order to capture footage of tigers hunting in the wild, instead of using a human camera crew, the BBC gave cameras to a team of elephants and trained them to operate the film equipment.
14. BBC為拍攝老虎在野外捕食的畫面，不用人工攝像組，而是將攝像機(jī)按在了一隊(duì)大象的身上，并訓(xùn)練他們使用攝影設(shè)備。
15. Due to widespread news coverage of the JFK assassination, the BBC figured a lot of people missed the airing of the first ever episode of Doctor Who. Consequently, they re-aired it one week later.
15. 因?yàn)槊绹?guó)肯尼迪總統(tǒng)被刺一事鋪天蓋地的報(bào)道，BBC認(rèn)為很多人肯定錯(cuò)過(guò)了神秘博士有史以來(lái)的第一集。因此，BBC在一周后重播了一次。
16. In 2006, the BBC mistakenly interviewed a guy live on TV thinking he was an IT magazine editor, but really he was just there to apply for a job.
16. 2006年，BBC錯(cuò)誤地采訪了一位他們以為是IT雜志編輯的人，而實(shí)際上那人只是到那兒求職的。
17. Despite working for the BBC as a broadcaster and dying in 1950, there are no known recordings of George Orwell’s voice.
17. 雖然喬治·奧威爾曾為BBC做過(guò)新聞主播，在1950年去世，但是并沒(méi)有留下他的任何錄音。
注：?jiǎn)讨?middot;奧威爾是英國(guó)著名作家，著有《動(dòng)物莊園》《1984》等諷刺現(xiàn)實(shí)的小說(shuō)，因小說(shuō)中的語(yǔ)言在后50年不斷被印證而在西方國(guó)家具有廣泛的影響。
18. In the 1980s, BBC televised a live demonstration of email. Prior to transmission, a studio guest overheard a crew member saying the email account password and phoned a friendly hacker. Once on air, the presenter logged in and was met with a poem about hacking and insecure passwords.
18. 1980年代，BBC曾在電視上現(xiàn)場(chǎng)展示電郵的使用方法。在播出之前，錄音棚的嘉賓偷聽到工作人員說(shuō)郵箱密碼，他便打電話給一位不壞惡意的黑客。節(jié)目播出后，主播登錄郵箱，結(jié)果看到一首關(guān)于黑客技術(shù)和密碼不安全的打油詩(shī)。
19. Britons have to pay 0 for a “television license” every year as a tax to support the BBC.
19. 英國(guó)人每年必須為“電視許可”支付0的稅費(fèi)以此支持BBC。
20. The BBC News channel has a show dedicated to viewers criticizing how well they have reported the week’s events.
20. BBC新聞?lì)l道專門有一檔節(jié)目，為觀眾提供批評(píng)指正BBC報(bào)道的機(jī)會(huì)。
21. The Dalek voice in Doctor Who (2005) is recorded through a custom analog ring modulator. BBC was unable to reproduce the original effect digitally.
21. 神秘博士的外星人Dalex的聲音是由一個(gè)特制的環(huán)形調(diào)控器才錄制成功的，因?yàn)锽BC當(dāng)時(shí)還無(wú)法用數(shù)字技術(shù)做出該效果。
22. British nuclear submarines have orders to launch nuclear missiles if they cannot tune into BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ program for a number of consecutive days.
22. 英國(guó)核潛艇在連續(xù)幾天無(wú)法收聽到BBC廣播四臺(tái)的《今日》節(jié)目后可被允許發(fā)射核導(dǎo)彈。
23. Much of the BBC’s output between the 1930’s and 1980’s has been lost due to a lack of archival policy.
23. BBC在三十年代到八十年代之間的作品已大多流失，因?yàn)楫?dāng)時(shí)缺乏歸檔制度。
24. From the 30s to the end of the Cold War, MI5 had an officer working at the BBC to ensure they wouldn’t hire communists.
24. 從三十年代到冷戰(zhàn)結(jié)束，MI5都派一個(gè)人到BBC工作以便監(jiān)管他們不聘任任何共產(chǎn)黨。
注：MI5是英國(guó)的情報(bào)機(jī)構(gòu)。(這個(gè)地球人都知道吧)
25. The beeps you hear on BBC radio is the Greenwich Time Signal. It beeps at the top of the hour so you could sync your watch.
25. BBC電臺(tái)的嗶嗶聲是格林尼治報(bào)時(shí)信號(hào)。每小時(shí)的最開始會(huì)響起此聲，這樣人們可以調(diào)對(duì)手表。
英語(yǔ)文化：25件你不知道的BBC的那些事兒
