Hong Kong air pollution reached extreme highs this week, turning Victoria Harbor a soupy gray and prompting government warnings for residents to stay indoors.

　　本周香港空气污染达到极高水平，使维多利亚港笼罩在雾霾之中，并促使政府呼吁居民留在室内。

　　On Thursday morning in the crowded shopping district of Causeway Bay, pollution levels hit a high of 187 on the local air-pollution index. When the city's levels of air pollution are that high, the government recommends that children, the ill and the elderly try to stay inside. Health experts say that level of air pollution can trigger everything from heart attacks to stroke.

　　周四早间，在人头攒动的铜锣湾，当地空气污染指数一度触及187的高位。当香港污染水平达到这样的高位，政府就会建议儿童、患者和老年人留在室内。健康专家说，这样的空气污染水平可以引发心脏病和中风等各种疾病。

　　Roadside air pollution deteriorated significantly in Hong Kong during the first half of 2013, with levels of nitrogen dioxide jumping as much as 22% in certain parts of town. In April, the city's air pollution notched one of the highest readings in decades, with roadside monitoring devices measuring concentrations as high as 210 on the air-pollution index.

　　2013年上半年香港路边空气污染显著恶化，部分地区二氧化氮水平升幅一度达到22%的高位。今年4月份，香港污染程度达到数十年来的最高水平，路边测量污染物浓度的监控设备显示污染指数一度高达210。

　　Sum Kwong, CEO of the Clean Air Network, said Thursday the city's heavy, choking air was being caused by the proximity of a heavy tropical storm hitting Taiwan, which has caused winds in Hong Kong to die down, trapping pollutants in the city. Levels of pollution this week were particularly high in Causeway Bay, Mongkok and Central, busy commercial districts packed with high-rises that also make it harder for pollutants to disperse.

　　健康空气行动(Clean Air Network) 行政总裁邝芯妍(Sum Kwong)周四说，香港令人窒息的雾霾是由一个临近的袭击台湾的热带风暴所致，受该风暴影响，香港的风力逐渐消失，使污染物滞留在香港。本周铜锣湾、旺角和中环的污染水平尤其高，这些繁忙商业区的高楼大厦也令污染物难以散去。

　　In the past year, the Leung Chun-ying administration has put forward a number of more-aggressive policies to try to clean up the city's air, including a proposed 10 billion Hong Kong dollar ($1.3 billion) plan to eliminate old commercial diesel trucks--a major contributor to the city's poor air quality--as well as tighter measures to ensure emissions from the city's taxis are better measured and controlled.

　　去年梁振英政府提出了数个旨在 化香港空气的更积极的政策，包括一个规模100亿港元的淘汰旧式商用柴油卡车（香港空气污染的一个主要来源）的计划，以及收紧相关措施以确保香港出租车尾气排放受到更好的测量和控制。

　　Still, Ms. Kwong says that residents shouldn't expect relief anytime soon. 'The administration has been more aggressive in rolling out policies,' she says. 'The problem is they're not in place yet, so we really won't see any changes until 2015 or 2016.' For example, she says, the HK$10 billion subsidy plan to get rid of dirty commercial trucks has yet to be passed by the city's legislature.

　　然而邝芯妍说，香港居民不应认为问题很快会有缓解，政府在推出政策时变得更加积极，问题是这些政策尚未落实，所以我们实际上要等到2015年或者2016年才会看到变化。她说，比如规模100亿港元淘汰污染严重的商用卡车的补贴计划尚未获得香港立法会的通过。

　　For the moment, when it comes to the noxious air outside the city's residents should just keep their fingers crossed for rain. 'We should have some later today,' she says. 'At least that will help wash some of the pollutants away.'

　　目前，面对外面的雾霾，香港居民只能十指交叉祈祷下雨了。她说，今天晚些时候应该会有一些降雨，这至少会帮助消除部分雾霾。(WSJ)