在亚洲，有一个热带岛国，有着“宝石王国”、“印度洋上的明珠”的美称，还被马可·波罗评价为“最美丽的岛屿”。
它与中国的友谊源远流长，早在千年前就通过古代丝绸之路建立了联系，还曾在中国疫情最严峻的时候，全岛人民为中国祈福。
这个国家，就是斯里兰卡（Sri Lanka），位于印度洋上的 热带岛国，旧称 锡兰，中国古代称其为狮子国、僧伽罗。
而最近发生在斯里兰卡的事情，让全球人民都揪心，“魔幻新闻”一个接着一个。
首先是3月21日，斯里兰卡取消了300多万学生的升学考试，理由竟然是没钱买纸买墨水印试卷！
Sri Lanka has cancelled school exams for millions of students after running out of printing paper, as the country contends with its worst financial crisissince independence in 1948.
由于印刷纸张短缺，斯里兰卡取消了数百万学生的在校考试，该国正面临自1948年独立以来最严重的金融危机。
“School principals cannot hold the tests as printers are unable to secure foreign exchange to import necessary paper and ink,” the Department of Education of the Western Province said.
西部省教育厅表示：“由于影印厂商无法获得进口的纸张与墨水，所以学校无法举行考试。”
学生们的遭遇还只是冰山一角。
更多普通民众的日常生活已经遭受了重创。3月30日，该国最大的国有电力公司宣布，即日起在全国范围内实施每天停电10小时的措施。
所以，这个被誉为“印度洋之泪”的国家到底怎么了？为什么会陷入如此严重的经济危机？
Tourismgenerates more than $4 billion a year, but the industry was hit hard by the COVID pandemic.
原本旅游业能为斯里兰卡带来每年超过40亿美元的创收，但现在却受到了新冠疫情的沉重打击。
各国今年疫情稍缓，斯里兰卡本想借着旅游收益让经济复苏。英国、印度和俄罗斯向来是他们最大的客源，但俄罗斯自二月起与乌克兰冲突，自顾不暇，还带动全球石油价格飙升，更打击了斯里兰卡的经济。
The Rajapaksa government's reckless and mismanaged economic policies has exaggeratedthe crisis and has been blamed for the mess the country is in.
拉贾帕克萨政府不计后果和管理不善的经济政策进一步扩大了危机，并被指责为让国家陷入混乱的罪魁祸首。
Instead of addressing the issue head on it took the easier route in borrowing to tide over problems and now has mounting debt and interest payments of almost $12 billion.
政府没有从根源上解决该问题，而是采取了更容易的借贷方式来渡过难关，现在债务和利息支付已经高达近120亿美元。
With a severe balance of payment crisis, international agencies downgraded the country, further hamperingany chances of foreign investment.
由于严重的国际收支危机，国际机构降低了该国的信用等级，进一步阻碍了斯里兰卡在外国投资的机会。
But for the moment, it's ordinary Sri Lankans who will have to bear the brunt of skyrocketing prices and shortages of essential products for a long time to come.
就目前而言，在未来很长一段时间里，普通斯里兰卡人将不得不承受飞涨的价格和必需品短缺的冲击。
而今年正是中国和斯里兰卡建交65周年和《米胶协定》签署70周年，应斯里兰卡政府请求，考虑到斯里兰卡眼下缺粮困难，中国已经向斯里兰卡提供紧急粮食援助。
关于斯里兰卡，还有这些冷知识，你都知道吗？
#1 Sri Lanka is the world's second biggest tea exporter
斯里兰卡是世界第二大茶叶出口国
Tea production is one of the main exports of Sri Lanka. In 1995, it was the world's leading exporter of tea (rather than producer), with 23% of the total world export.
茶叶是斯里兰卡的主要出口产品之一。1995年，它是世界上主要的茶叶出口国(而不是生产国)，占世界出口总额的23%。
The humidity, cool temperatures, and rainfall of the country's central highlands provide a climate that is perfect for the production of high-quality tea.
该国中部高原的湿度、凉爽的温度和降雨量为生产高品质茶叶提供了完美的气候条件。
#2 Sri Lanka is the largest producer of coconut arrack
斯里兰卡是最大的椰子烧酒生产国
Sri Lanka is the largest producer of coconut arrack, a distilled alcoholic drink. Every morning at dawn, men known as toddy tappers move among the tops of coconut trees using connecting ropes, similar to tightropes, knocking down coconuts. You can buy arrack from local licensed shops – be sure to have a try!
斯里兰卡是最大的椰子烧酒生产国，这种酒是蒸馏过的酒精饮品。每天清晨，被称为“棕榈酒采集者”的人使用类似于钢索的绳子在椰子树的顶端敲下椰子。你可以从当地的授权商店买到椰子酒，可一定要试一试啊！
# 3 Sri Lanka has south Asia’s highest literacy rate
斯里兰卡是南亚识字率最高的国家
The Constitution of Sri Lanka provides free education as a fundamental right. Sri Lanka's population had an adult literacy rate of 96.3% in 2015, which is above the world average as well as regional standards. Education plays a major part in the life and culture of the country.
《斯里兰卡宪法》规定免费教育是一项基本权利。2015年，斯里兰卡的成人识字率为96.3%，高于世界平均水平和地区标准。教育在这个国家的生活和文化中起着重要的作用。
#4 The world’s first female premier was Sri Lankan
世界上第一位女总理是斯里兰卡人
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan stateswoman and the world's first female head of government! She was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for three terms, from 1960 to 1965, 1970 to 1977, and 1994 to 2000. Back when she was first made prime minister in 1960, Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon.
西丽马沃·班达拉奈克是斯里兰卡的一位女政治家，也是世界上第一位女性政府首脑！她在1960年至1965年、1970年至1977年和1994年至2000年分别担任斯里兰卡总理。1960年，当她第一次被任命为总理时，斯里兰卡还被称为锡兰。
#5 Sri Lanka has the tallest self-supported structure in south Asia
斯里兰卡拥有南亚最高的自立式建筑
The 356-metre lotus-shaped tower in Colombo, known as the Lotus Tower, was completed in 2019. The tower's purpose is communications, observation and leisure facilities. It's visible throughout the city of Colombo, and holds the title of the tallest self-supporting structure in all of south Asia!
科伦坡356米的莲花形塔，被称为莲花塔，于2019年完工。该塔是用来是通信，观光和休闲的。在整个科伦坡市都可以看到它，它是整个南亚最高的自立式建筑！
#6 The famous stilt fisherman aren't actually fishing
著名的高跷立钓实际上并不是在钓鱼
The practice (requiring much skill and balance) started during World War II, when some clever local men, prompted by food shortages and overcrowded fishing spots, used stilts to start fishing further out in the water.
这种做法(需要很高的技巧和平衡能力)始于二战期间，当时一些聪明的当地男子面对食物短缺和过度拥挤的捕鱼点，开始使用高跷在更深的水域捕鱼。
Today, the traditional practice is a dying craft. The 2004 tsunami that devastated much of the Indian Ocean coastline changed the Sri Lankan shoreline and reduced access to fish using this method. It often therefore makes financial sense for the fisherman nowadays to rent their stilts to tourists to take pictures.
今天，这种传统做法正在消失。2004年的海啸摧毁了大部分印度洋海岸线，也改变了斯里兰卡的海岸线，减少了用这种方法捕鱼的机会。因此，如今渔民将高跷租给游客拍照来赚点钱。
#7 Hotels aren't always hotels
“Hotel”不总是指酒店
A cultural quirk of Sri Lanka is that places like cafés, restaurants and bars sometimes adopt the word ‘hotel’ into their names, even if they don’t actually offer any accommodation. Why?
斯里兰卡的一个文化怪癖是，咖啡馆、餐馆和酒吧等地方有时会在名称中使用“hotel”一词，即使它们实际上并不提供任何住宿。为什么？
Reasons behind this are unclear, although if the locals are asked, they’ll often tell you that it simply became a trendy thing to do over the years. Another reason may be that back in the day if you wanted to go for a decent meal you would go to an actual hotel to get your dinner.
这背后的原因尚不清楚，如果问当地人，他们通常会告诉你，这只是多年来的风俗习惯。另一个原因可能是，在过去，如果你想吃一顿像样的饭，你得去一家真正的酒店。
今日词汇
financial crisis 金融危机
tourism n. 旅游业，观光业
exaggerate v. 夸大，言过其实；使扩大
hamper v. 阻碍，妨碍
exporter n. 出口商；输出国
