City workers and tourists did a double take this morning as a giant 50ft-tall rubber duck sailed up the Thames.
一只高50英尺（約為15米）的巨型橡膠鴨今天早上在倫敦泰晤士河游過，很多市民和游客多看了好幾眼才反應(yīng)過來。

The bright yellow duck, weighing half a ton, looked quite at home amongst the shiny towers of the City as it set sail on its mission to make people laugh in the capital today.
這只重達(dá)半噸的明黃色大鴨子，悠哉悠哉地穿行在高樓林立的倫敦市區(qū)，而它這趟旅程的主要任務(wù)就是給首都人民帶來歡笑。

It was launched to publicise a new ￡250,000 bursary designed to encourage people in the UK to have more fun.
為了讓民眾快樂一點(diǎn)，有機(jī)構(gòu)拿出25萬英鎊鼓勵人們想點(diǎn)子，而這只大黃鴨就是為了宣傳這一創(chuàng)意活動。

The oversized bath toy was launched from West India Dock in the Isle of Dogs, east London, at 8.30 this morning.
今天早上八點(diǎn)半，這只巨大的浴盆橡皮鴨從倫敦東部犬島的西印度碼頭開始了它的航行。

It floated along the Thames past the O2, the glittering towers of Canary Wharf, and on towards Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast as part of a publicity stunt organised by a website.
作為某網(wǎng)站宣傳策略的一部分，大黃鴨途徑O2體育場，金融中心金絲雀碼頭，然后沿著泰晤士河經(jīng)過倫敦塔橋和貝爾法斯特 號巡洋艦。

Former Carry On and EastEnders actress Barbara Windsor, who saw the duck off at West India Dock is patron of #39;s new Facebook FUNdation, part of a marketing campaign to grant funds to people who have good ideas to make people laugh.
曾出演《加油》和《倫敦東區(qū)》的女演員芭芭拉·溫莎是這項(xiàng)活動的贊助人，該活動由新成立的Facebook FUNdation基金舉辦，旨在征集一些能讓大家會心一笑的方案，網(wǎng)站會為評選出來的方案提供資金。

She said: 'We thought a giant rubber duck floating down the River Thames was a great way to kick the FUNdation off, and it definitely raised a smile and a chuckle from everyone who saw it.
她說：“我們覺得如果讓這只巨大的橡皮鴨游過泰晤士河，對FUNdation基金將會是一個(gè)很好的宣傳方式，同時(shí)看到它的人也會很開心?！?/div>

'After the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant, the floating Olympic rings and David Beckham jetting into the Olympic opening ceremony, the Thames really has seen it all this year.
“伊麗莎白女王的鉆石禧年慶典，倫敦奧運(yùn)會的成功舉辦，還有大衛(wèi)·貝克漢姆駕駛快艇出現(xiàn)在倫敦奧運(yùn)會開幕式上，這一年泰晤士河見證了這一切。

'The giant duck was a perfect way to round it all off and it certainly cheered everyone up. No one could suppress a smile as they saw it sailing past on its way to HMS Belfast.'
“這只大黃鴨為這一切畫上了一個(gè)圓滿的句號，同時(shí)也讓人們開懷一笑。人們看到它經(jīng)過貝爾法斯特號巡洋艦時(shí)都忍俊不禁。”

Miss Windsor, who is patron of the FUNdation, said she hoped the duck stunt would encourage people to come up with their own ideas.
FUNdation基金的贊助人溫莎小姐說，希望這只引人注目的大黃鴨能鼓勵人們想出更多的好點(diǎn)子。

'We now want people to send us their own entries of wacky things they'd like to do, and we'll provide funding for the best ones.'
“現(xiàn)在我們希望人們將自己的奇思妙想呈遞給我們，我們會為那些最佳方案提供資金?！?

A team of eight people spent more than 800 man-hours cutting and welding together the parts for the duck to ensure it was airtight before it took to the water this morning.
一個(gè)由8人組成的團(tuán)隊(duì)，足足花了800個(gè)工時(shí)來進(jìn)行切割和焊接這只大黃鴨，以確保它在下水前的密封性。

'We want to make sure we get the laughter quota back where it belongs and are hoping the FUNdation will help people have some daft fun. If you want to organise the biggest ever street conga, or jump into a pool of jelly, let us know.'
“我們想把笑聲帶回我們的生活中，也希望FUNdation基金能幫助人們獲得更多樂趣。 如果你想在大街上組織一場規(guī)?？涨暗目登盐?，或者想跳進(jìn)果凍游泳池，請告訴我們?！?

According to the research commissioned by the website, adults in Britain laugh an average 7.2 times day, while psychologists recommend we should do it 15 times a day to stay happy and healthy.
該網(wǎng)站的一項(xiàng)委托研究表明，英國成年人現(xiàn)在平均每天只笑7.2次，而心理學(xué)家建議一個(gè)活得健康且開心的人每天應(yīng)該發(fā)笑15次。

Consultant psychologist Anjula Mutanda said: 'The importance of laughter and joy cannot be underestimated. Research shows that 60 years ago we used to laugh for up to 18 minutes a day but today this figure has gone down to six minutes. We should be laughing more than we are.'
心理學(xué)顧問安居拉·馬頓達(dá)說：“笑和開心的重要性不容小覷。研究表明，60年前我們每天發(fā)笑達(dá)18分鐘，而今天，這個(gè)數(shù)字已經(jīng)下降到6分鐘。我們應(yīng)該盡可能多笑一笑?！?/div>