英語短文：英國舉行世界撒謊大賽
A harrowingcompetition is underway in England, with billions of dollars and hundreds of lives at stake. OK, that's not true. But competitors from around the world gathered on Thursday for the annual competition to crown the world's biggest liar.
當下英國正舉行一場令人痛苦的比賽，數十億美元和上百條生命都因此而受到威脅。好吧，這不是真話。不過周四這天，來自世界各地的競賽者都聚集到英國參加一年一度的世界撒謊大賽，爭奪撒謊大王的桂冠。
Each contestant is given up to five minutes to weave the best fibin the contest, which was founded in honor of 19th-century Bridge Inn landlord Will Ritson, who was reportedly legendary for his lies.
每個參賽者都有五分鐘時間來編造出最妙的謊言。該比賽是為了紀念19世紀布里奇酒店老板威爾 瑞特森而創立的，據說瑞特森因為善于撒謊而成為傳奇人物。
Competitors gather at the Bridge Inn every year for the competition, a small pub in northwestern England.
競賽者每年都要聚集到布里奇酒店來參加撒謊大賽。布里奇酒店是英國西北部的一個小酒館。
Anyone can take part in the competition. Well, almost anyway; the reporters note that lawyers and politicians are banned, citing "an unfair advantage" in the proceedings.
任何人都能參加這一比賽。當然，這里指的是幾乎任何人。記者指出，律師和政客被禁止參賽，據稱這兩類人在比賽中有“不公平的優勢”。
A study published this past July in the journal Evolution &Human Behaviorfound that nearly all lies are detectable through visible facial muscle reactions in the person telling a lie. "Thus, while interpersonal deception often is highly successful, signs of covertemotional states are communicated clearly to the informed observer," the study concluded.
今年七月在《進化與人類行為》雜志上發表的一篇研究報告發現，幾乎所有的謊言都能通過說謊者的面部肌肉反應識別出來。該研究得出結論說：“因此，盡管人騙人通常都能成功，但是隱藏的情緒狀態的訊號還是可以清晰地傳遞給見多識廣的觀察者。”
A bishop of Carlisle reportedly holds what may be the greatest lie of all time in the competition, simply stating, "I have never told a lie in my life."
卡萊爾的一名主教據稱說了比賽中前所未有的最大謊言，他只說了這句話：“我這輩子從來沒說過一句謊話?！?/p>
In 2003, Abrie Krueger of South Africa became the first non-Brit to win the competition. Ironically, Krueger was accused by some of cheating.
2003年，南非的阿布里 克魯伊格成為第一個不是英國人但卻贏得撒謊大賽的人。具有諷刺意味的是，克魯伊格被一些人指控作弊。
In 2006, comedian Sue Perkins became the first female to win the competition, telling a tale about people riding camels to work as a result of climate change.
2006年，喜劇演員蘇 帕金斯成為第一位贏得該大賽桂冠的女性，她講述了一個人們因為氣候變化不得不騎駱駝上班的故事。
Last year's winning entry came from Glen Boyland, who told a lie about competing in a snail-racing competition with Prince Charles.
去年摘得桂冠的謊言來自格倫 波伊蘭德，他講了一個與查爾斯王子進行蝸牛賽跑的謊話。
Vocabulary:
harrowing:令人痛苦的，令人苦惱的，折磨人的
fib:無關緊要（或無傷大雅）的謊言
covert:隱藏的，暗藏的
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