雅思阅读材料：

　　The Ice Bucket Challenge, sometimes called the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, is an activity involving dumping a bucket of ice water on one's head or donating to the ALS Association in the United States. It went viral throughout social media.

　　“冰桶挑战赛”，即“肌萎缩侧索硬化症(ALS)基金会冰桶挑战赛”是一项ALS基金会发起的活动，活动规则是参与者必须从头顶上浇下一桶冰水，否则就要向ALS基金会捐款。这一活动已经席卷社交网络。

　　The challenge required nominated participants to have a bucket of ice water poured on their head. One common stipulation gives 24 hours to complete the dare from the time they are nominated; otherwise, the participant has to donate $100 to charity.

　　“冰桶挑战”要求被点名的参与者往头顶上浇下一桶冰水。一般要求参加者被点名后必须在24小时内完成挑战，不然，参与者就要捐献100美元的善款。

　　In recent weeks, a number of heavyweights -- including Mark Zuckerberg andMartha Stewart -- have participated in the frigid challenge. Participants are filmed willingly hurling ice over themselves in the name of ALS awareness, then nominate others to do the same within 24 hours or else donate money to an ALS charity.

　　最近几周，一些重量级人物- 包括马克·扎克伯格(Mark Zuckerberg)、玛莎·斯图尔特(Martha Stewart)在内- 都参加了“冰桶挑战”。以对ALS的关注为名，参加者需要拍摄一段向自己淋冰水的视频，并点名其他人在24小时之内做同样的事，否则就要给ALS基金会捐款。

　　The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has quickly gone from a fundraising campaign to a viral Internet sensation, raising $15.6 million so far for the ALS Association.　Bill Gates posts a video of him dumping ice water on himself in response to a challenge to Mark Zuckerberg.

　　如今，这场慈善与游戏结合的活动，已借助网络社交平台从美国向全世界扩散。这些名人不仅仅把它当作一件值得炫耀的事情，而且想出比较特别的方法完成浇冰水的举动，比如比尔.盖茨就用如下方式响应马克.扎克伯格对他的提名挑战。

　　On Sunday, Ethel Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, partook in the challenge with a number of her relatives in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and challenged Obama to get involved, too.

　　上周日，已故参议员罗伯特·F·肯尼迪(Robert F. Kennedy)的遗孀、埃塞尔·肯尼迪(Ethel Kennedy)，在海恩尼斯港(Hyannis Port)，马萨诸塞州与她的一些亲戚接受了“冰桶挑战”，并向奥巴马下战帖。

　　It was the 86-year-old's way of "welcoming" the president to the area, since the first family was vacationing in Cape Cod.

　　当时肯尼迪家族正是在科德角度假，这位86岁老人用这种方式“欢迎”总统加入“冰桶挑战”的行列。

　　The president politely declined, but still offered to do his part.

　　总统婉言拒绝，但仍愿意捐款弥补。

　　"The president appreciates Mrs. Kennedy thinking of him for the challenge -- though his contribution to this effort will be monetary," Obama said in a statement issued through spokesman Eric Schultz, the Boston Globe reported. "The president will be making a donation to an ALS charity this week."

　　据波士顿环球报消息，“总统很感谢肯尼迪太太想到向他下战帖，不过，总统对“冰桶挑战”的出力将以金钱为主。”奥巴马通过白宫发言人埃里克·舒尔茨发表声明，“总统将会在本周内向ALS基金会捐款。”

　　According to CBS DC, Obama will donate $100 to an undisclosed charity that fights ALS.

　　据哥伦比亚广播公司华盛顿分社消息，奥巴马将会向一家防御ALS的慈善机构捐款100美元。

　　Kennedy should be pleased that her encouragement got the military's commander-in-chief to get involved on some level, since she believes that’s a sign of a successful initiative.

　　肯尼迪遗孀应该感到高兴，因为奥巴马在某种程度上参与了“冰桶挑战”，她认为这是计划成功的迹象。