VOA慢速英语2019 北美防空司令部追踪圣诞老人行踪（在线收听）

NORAD Follows Santa Claus Around the World

Children around the world want to know where a happy old man and his sleigh full of gifts are on Christmas Eve.

世界各地的孩子们都好奇圣诞前夜意为快乐的老人和他装满礼物的雪橇的行踪。

Christmas and its many traditions are observed around the world on December 25.

12月25日，世界各地都在庆祝圣诞节及该节日的许多传统。

For the 64th year, a program run by the U.S. and Canadian militaries will give updates about the location of Santa Claus, also known as Papa Noel, Saint Nick or Father Christmas

今年是第64个年头，美国和加拿大军方的一个项目将追踪圣诞老人的足迹，圣诞老人也被称为“圣诞老公公”、“圣尼克”或“耶诞老人”。

This year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, is offering new ways for children and parents to follow Santa’s movements.

今年，北美放空联合司令部(NORAD)为孩子们和家长们提供了跟踪圣诞老人行踪的新途径。

Children and adults can follow Santa on Alexa, OnStar, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and 3-D apps. Cesium, a Philadelphia-based information technology company and defense contractor, developed the apps. They use satellite technology with high-resolution graphics. These graphics show the real positions of the stars, sun and moon and even the shadows they cast at any point in Santa’s trip.

儿童和大人们可以通过Alexa、OnStar、Twitter、Facebook、Instagram和3-D应用程序关注圣诞老人的账号。位于费城的信息技术公司和国防承包商Cesium开发了这些应用程序。他们使用高分辨率图像的卫星技术。这些图形可以显示星星、太阳和月亮的真实位置，甚至是它们在圣诞老人旅途中的任何一点投影。

Operation NORAD Tracks Santa has continued for a long time. It all started with a telephone call in 1955. Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup received a call from a young child. The child thought she was calling Santa.

北美防空司令部追踪圣诞老人的行动已经持续了很长时间。这一切都始于1955年的一通电话。空军上校哈里·舒普接到一个小朋友的来电。小女孩以为自己在跟圣诞老人通话。

The fast-thinking Shoup quickly told his caller that he was, and a tradition was born.

反应迅速的舒普很快告诉对方，他就是圣诞老人，一个传统就这样诞生了。

Today, about 1,500 volunteers take emails and telephone calls to 1-877-HI-NORAD, or 1-877-446-6723. They work at phone banks at Peterson Air Force Base, in the state of Colorado.

今天，约1500名志愿者将通过电子邮件和热线电话1-877-HI-NORAD或1-877-446-6723在线解答。他们在科罗拉多州彼得森空军基地的电话银行工作。

Most early calls come from Japan and Europe, the Associated Press reports. Then, many calls come from the U.S. and Canada, said program manager Preston Schlachter. Callers from Britain ask about Father Christmas. Those in France generally ask about Papa Noel.

据美联社报道，前期的大部分电话来自日本和欧洲。项目经理普雷斯顿·施拉赫特(Preston Schlachter)说，这之后美国和加拿大的来电多了起来。英国人也会来电询问圣诞老人的踪迹。法国人们通常会来电打听“圣诞老公公”。

For team members, once “Big Red” — Santa’s code name — is in the air, Schlachter said, “it’s off to the races. I’ve never had a block of time move so quickly,” he said.

施拉赫特表示，对于团队人员来说，一旦圣诞老人的代号“Big Red”————上线，“那就意味着追踪开始了。”他说，“我从来没有那一刻行动如此地神速。”