This has been a year of tremendous upheavals and remarkablechanges. From economic turmoil to the death of several well-known public figures, 2011 has seen the world transformed dramatically. Despite the tough externalenvironment, China's economy remains a bright spot in the world, with a slowed down pace of growth.
这是充满惊人剧变以及重大变革的一年，从金融风暴到几位公众名人的离世，2011年见证了全球的惊人变化。尽管外部环境存在诸多不利因素，但缓步增长的中国经济却依然是全世界的一大亮点。
Here at 21st Century, we've combined the analyses of international news agencies, like that of AP, Time magazine and Xinhua, to bring you a list of the year's top news items.
在这里，《二十一世纪英文报》汇总了包括美联社、时代周刊和新华社在内的诸多国际新闻机构的分析，为您呈现一份年度热点新闻列表。
Now, as 2011 draws to a close, we can only hope the new year will bring with it greater socialstability and the restoration of a strong international economic order.
眼下，2011年即将接近尾声，我们寄望于新的一年中社会更加安定，国际经济秩序能够得以重建。
1. Economic soft landing
1.经济软着陆
This year, China officially overtook Japan as the world's second largest economy.
今年，中国正式超越日本一举成为全球第二大经济体。
Xinhua News Agency said that China remained a much-needed bright spot in the world economy. Economic growth is slowing a little, but it still stayed above the global average.
新华社表示，在全球经济中，中国仍然是一个必要的亮点。尽管经济增长有所放缓，但仍然高出世界平均水平。
Facing a tough and depressing world economic situation, China has maintained a steady but slowed-down growth rate this year.
在全球经济低迷而严峻的环境下，今年中国的经济增长率保持稳定并平稳下降。
A report by Beijing-based Renmin University of China (RUC) forecast that China's economic growth this year would hit 9.4 percent before slipping to 9.2 percent next year. However, it said that even with that figure, the country still outperforms other major economies and stays in shape.
由中国人民大学发布的一份报告预测到，中国今年经济增长达到9.4个百分点，明年预计下滑至9.2个百分点。同时该报告也表示，尽管相关数据出现下滑，我国经济仍然跑赢其他主要经济体，并保持健康稳定的状态。
The cooling trend reflects China's efforts to seek an economic soft-landing. The country now puts the emphasison domestic consumption rather than export gains.
这种经济降温的趋势彰显出中国正在努力寻求经济软着陆。现在中国正将重心从出口盈利转向扩大内需。
It's also trying to strike a balance between curbing inflation and maintaining the economic growth rate.
同时中国也正尝试在抑制通货膨胀与稳定经济增长率之间寻求平衡点。
This year, China made a good, fresh start on the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015). The plan aims at upgrading China's growth model and economic structure.
今年，中国为其“十二五”规划起了个好头。这一规划旨在升级中国的发展模式以及经济结构。
2 High-speed train
2.高铁
China's bullet-train ambitions hit problems in 2011 and ultimatelyslowed down.
2011年，中国发展高速列车的雄心壮志遭遇重创，最终放慢了脚步。
The country's latest high-speed railway system suffered several technical breakdowns since it came into service in late June.
中国最新的高速铁路系统自六月份投入使用以来遭遇了几次技术故障。
Later, on July 23, one bullet train rear-ended another in a collision near Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, killing 40 people and injuring almost 200. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
7月23日，两列高速列车在浙江温州附近追尾，致使40人死亡，近200人受伤。事故原因仍在调查之中。
The tragic accident prompted calls for thoroughcheck-ups on all high-speed rail services. After the crash, Sheng Guangzu, the railway minister, ordered a slowing down of the speed of all bullet trains.
事故惨剧的发生促使各方呼吁，全面检查高铁服务系统。撞车事故发生之后，铁道部部长盛光祖下令所有高速列车降速。
Several high-speed railway projects scheduled to open this year will be postponed .作者: 之之 时间: 2012-2-27 09:37
3. Shen Zhou VIII and Tiangong-1
3. 神八与天宫一号
In 2011, China moved closer toward the goal of operating a permanent space station.
2011年，中国朝着打造永久性空间站的目标又迈近了一步。
On September 29, China launched its first space lab module Tiangong-1, which was unmanned. On November 3, unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou VIII successfully docked with the Tiangong-1 space lab module, after it was launched two days earlier.
President Hu Jintao described it as a milestone in China's space program and a remarkable contribution to humanity's exploration of space. Despite progress made in the country's space program, President Hu also said that China's overall level of scientific technologies, especially indigenous innovation capabilities, lagged far behind world-leading standards.
An earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck the north-east coast of Japan on March 11 and triggered a massive tsunami that led to the death of almost 16,000 people.
3月11日，日本东北部海域发生了里氏9.0级的大地震，进而引发大规模海啸，造成近1.6万人死亡。
In addition to this enormous loss of life and the destruction of infrastructure, the tsunami also caused a number of nuclear accidents.
海啸除了造成巨大人员伤亡以及基础设施的毁坏，还引发一系列核泄露事故。
This included a level 7 meltdown at three reactors in the Fukushima No 1 Nuclear Power Plant complex and saw the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of neighboring residents. According Naoto Kan, the Japanese prime minister at the time, "In the 65 years after the end of World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan."
In the immediate aftermath , around 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan were left without electricity and 1.5 million without water.
地震海啸带来的最直接后果是，日本东北部地区有约440万户居民断电，150万户断水。
5 European debt crisis
5.欧债危机
This year saw anxiety over rising government debt in Europe escalate into a crisis of global proportions.
今年，欧洲多国政府债台高筑，引发各方焦虑，进而引发一场全球危机。
From late 2010 onwards, concerns over Europe's economic stability had begun to intensify. Greece, Ireland and Portugal had difficulties refinancing their debts. This sent ripples around the world and all major stock exchanges exhibited significant losses.
Many western countries are seeking China's pledge to help stimulate the continent's economy and lift market confidence.
很多西方国家都在寻求来自中国的援助承诺，帮助重振欧洲经济，增强市场信心。
Some contend that Europe's financial turmoil can threaten the demand for Chinese exports to the region. However, Chinese economic experts insist China should not blindly buy the euro debt.
2011 saw a wave of demonstrations and protests sweep across the Arab world.
2011年，一波接一波的游行示威以及抗议活动席卷了整个阿拉伯世界。
There have been drastic upheavals in Tunisia and Egypt, a civil war in Libya and protests in Bahrain, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco and Oman.
The upheavals have seen the departure of political strongmen such as Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Egypt's Hosni Mubarak and Yemen's Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Muammar Gadhafi, the former leader of Libya, was killed. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is still struggling to remain in power amid domestic discontent and foreign pressure.
These grassroots movements have differed from previous protests in that religion has not been a driving force.
这些平民运动与先前的抗议活动有所不同，其中并未有宗教因素推波助澜。
7 Death of Kim Jong-il
7.金正日逝世
Kim Jong-il, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) passed away on December 17.
朝鲜最高领导人金正日于12月17日逝世。
According to a report by the DPRK's official KCNA news agency, the 69-year-old died of a heart attack on a train due to "great mental and physical strain" during a "high intensity field inspection".
China on December 19 sent its condolences on the death of Kim, noting that the late DPRK leader had carried on and further developed the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK.
12月19日中国就金正日逝世向朝鲜发去吊唁，称这位已故朝鲜领袖不断巩固和加深中朝传统友好关系。
Observers maintain that the death will not result in turbulence in the DPRK. The KCNA news agency said the country, people and military "should remain loyal to the guidance of respected Kim Jong-un".
8 Death of Osama bin Laden and the end of the Iraq War
8.本•拉登被击毙，伊拉克战争宣告结束
On December 18, the US military officially ended its war in Iraq nearly nine years after the invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein. In a conflict that has seen almost 4,500 US soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis lose their lives, this year has thus seen the end of the most unpopular US military venture since Vietnam.
Prior to the withdrawal of troops, US anti-terrorist efforts had already sustained a victory following the death of Osama bin Laden.
在美军撤军之前，奥萨马•本•拉登的死亡已经证明了美国反恐战争取得了胜利。
In May, bin Laden, was killed by a US special forces. Believed to have ordered the attacks on the US on September 11 2001, bin Laden's death came as a defining moment in the American-led "war against terrorism".
The year of 2011 celebrated the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
2011年，我们欢庆了中国共产党建党90周年的生日。
On July 1, Party General Secretary Hu Jintao delivered a formal speech at a rally to mark the special occasion. He summarized the Chinese people's achievements of the past 90 years, under the leadership of the CPC.
"We will never forget that the people are the real heroes," he said. He urged all Party members to "maintain close ties with the people", and warned that alienation from the people posed the greatest risk to the Party.
Hu also stated that more talented young members will be recruited into the Party. He stressed that talent is the most important resource and a strategic resource for a country's development. "They (young members) represent the future and hope of the Party," he said.
Territorial disputes between China and some of its neighbors over the South China Sea have intensified in the past few months.
过去数月中，中国与几个邻国在南海领土问题上的争端不断激化。
In July 2011, relevant parties reached an agreement on the guidelines of implementation of the DOC (The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea), vowing to cooperate in maritime protection, search and rescue, as well as transnational crime busting.
Facebook will begin the process of becoming a publicly-listed company this week, valuing the social networking site at between $75bn (£48bn) and $100bn, reports suggest.
Rumours of Facebook's so-called initial public offering (IPO) have circulated for many months, and the company has maintained it will not comment on the subject.
The company was started by Mark Zuckerberg and fellow students at Harvard University in 2004 and has quickly grown to become one of the world's most popular websites.
As a private company, Facebook does not have to publish its accounts, but reports in January last year suggested a document sent by Goldman Sachs to its clients showed the firm made a net profit of $355m on revenues of $1.2bn in the first nine months of 2010.
The Pudong New District People's Court held a hearing Wednesday after Proview Technology (Shenzhen) asked the court to immediately ban the sale of the iPad.
The debt-laden Proview Technology (Shenzhen) has claimed that it owns the right to use the iPad trademark on the Chinese mainland and that Apple's product infringes on its trademark.
Apple Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., which runs three Apple retail stores in Shanghai, asked the court to reject Proview's request pending a final verdict on the ownership of the trademark in China.
Proview Taipei registered the iPad trademark in a number of countries and regions as early as 2000, with Proview Shenzhen registering the trademark on the Chinese mainland in 2001.
Apple bought the right to use the trademark from Proview Taipei in February 2010 via IP Application Development Limited (IP), a company based in the US. However, Proview Shenzhen claims it still reserves the right to use the trademark on the Chinese mainland.
2010年2月，苹果公司通过在英国注册的IP Application Development Limited公司（缩写iPadL）买入了iPad商标的使用权。但唯冠（深圳）公司声称该公司仍然保留在中国大陆的商标使用权。双方自此就陷入了商标侵权的诉讼混战中。
Apple said last week that it bought Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago. Apple added that a Hong Kong court backed the company, as Proview refused to honor their agreement.
Although a final verdict in the mainland has yet to be delivered, authorities in some Chinese cities have taken action to seize iPads after receiving complaints from Proview Shenzhen. The move has also prompted Apple retailers in many Chinese cities to pull iPads off their shelves.
The Pudong New District People's Court held a hearing Wednesday after Proview Technology (Shenzhen) asked the court to immediately ban the sale of the iPad.
The debt-laden Proview Technology (Shenzhen) has claimed that it owns the right to use the iPad trademark on the Chinese mainland and that Apple's product infringes on its trademark.
Apple Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., which runs three Apple retail stores in Shanghai, asked the court to reject Proview's request pending a final verdict on the ownership of the trademark in China.
Proview Taipei registered the iPad trademark in a number of countries and regions as early as 2000, with Proview Shenzhen registering the trademark on the Chinese mainland in 2001.
Apple bought the right to use the trademark from Proview Taipei in February 2010 via IP Application Development Limited (IP), a company based in the US. However, Proview Shenzhen claims it still reserves the right to use the trademark on the Chinese mainland.
2010年2月，苹果公司通过在英国注册的IP Application Development Limited公司（缩写iPadL）买入了iPad商标的使用权。但唯冠（深圳）公司声称该公司仍然保留在中国大陆的商标使用权。双方自此就陷入了商标侵权的诉讼混战中。
Apple said last week that it bought Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago. Apple added that a Hong Kong court backed the company, as Proview refused to honor their agreement.
Although a final verdict in the mainland has yet to be delivered, authorities in some Chinese cities have taken action to seize iPads after receiving complaints from Proview Shenzhen. The move has also prompted Apple retailers in many Chinese cities to pull iPads off their shelves.
The original iPad didn't go on sale on mainland China until September 2010, five months after its U.S. launch.
第一代iPad直到2010年9月才开始在中国大陆销售，比美国上市时间晚了5个月。
The iPad 2 arrived in May 2011, two months after its U.S. launch, and even then just in Wi-Fi-only versions .
第二代iPad于2011年5月登陆中国大陆，比美国上市时间晚了2个月，而且还只提供Wi-Fi版本。
The 3G iPad 2 finally launched in China in September, six months after it was available in the U.S.
第二代iPad 3G版今年9月终于在中国上市，比美国晚了6个月。
Apple's (AAPL) App Store began accepting payments in Chinese Yuan on Nov. 19, less than five weeks ago.
11月19日起苹果（Apple）应用软件商店才开始接受人民币付款，迄今还不到5个星期。
Given all that, it's quite remarkable that in November, nearly as many iPad apps (44% to be precise) were downloaded in China as in the U.S., as shown in the flag-colored pie chart at right.
Despite the geometric growth of its competitors' app stores — apps for Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows Phone 7, for example, grew 400% this year — Apple still still dominates . It's iPhone app store is No. 1 and its iPad app store No. 3 after Google's (GOOG) Android Market.
Although Google's OS has the lion's share of the smartphone market, revenues generated by Android apps lag far behind Apple's. As the chart below shows, the iPad generates more than double and the iPhone nearly four times the revenue of Google's Android Market.
