又中又英 | Test of time | 褚簡寧

　　There are numerous movies about aliens from outer space. Some of these movies instantly bomb but others stand the test of time. If a movie instantly bombs, it means it quickly fails completely. If something stands the test of time, it means it remains popular even after a very long time. The science fiction movie Avatar about aliens has stood the test of time. So has the 1979 movie Alien and the 1986 sequel Aliens. My favourite is the 1953 alien movie The War of the Worlds based on a novel by H.G. Wells about aliens from Mars invading Earth.

　　The possibility of aliens fascinates me. The universe is so vast that I believe aliens exist. Former President Barack Obama said the same thing during a recent podcast interview. He said aliens are real, but he hasn’t seen them. He said the US is not hiding aliens at Area 51, a highly classified air force site in Nevada. He made clear Area 51 does not have an underground facility hiding aliens unless there is a huge conspiracy to prevent him from knowing about it while he was president.

　　Obama’s comments caused such a media frenzy that he issued a statement hours later saying the universe is so vast that the odds are good aliens exist, but he saw no evidence during his presidency that aliens have contacted Earth. A media frenzy is an intense and often sensationalized media coverage of a single issue. The US Air Force uses Area 51 to test secretive aircraft, but many people continue to believe it also hides aliens underground. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

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　　我們有無數關於外太空外星生物的電影，當中有一些instantly bomb，另一些則能stand the test of time。若一套電影instantly bombs，意即它很快便徹底慘敗；若某事物能stands the test of time，意即它過了很久依然廣受歡迎。關於外星人的科幻片《阿凡達》就是能經得起時間考驗（test of time）的，1979年的電影《異形》以及1986年的續集《異形2》同樣歷久不衰（test of time）。我最愛的是1953年的外星生物電影《地球爭霸戰》，它是根據H.G.威爾斯那關於火星人侵略地球的小說改編而成的。

　　外星生物的可能性令我着迷。宇宙廣闊得令我相信外星生物的存在。前總統奧巴馬在最近一個播客訪問中，也說了同樣的說話。他說，外星人是真的，但他自己沒有見過他們。他說，美國內華達州的高度設防空軍基地51區內，並無隱藏外星人。他清楚表明，51區並無藏有外星人的地下設施，除非有很大的陰謀要阻止他在任總統的時候知悉。

　　奧巴馬的言論引起了媒體爭相報道（media frenzy），令他不得不在好幾個小時後發表聲明，說宇宙如此浩瀚，很大機會有外星生物的存在，但在其總統任期內，他看不見有任何證據顯示外星人曾聯絡地球。A media frenzy是傳媒在單一議題上密集而大肆渲染的報道。美國空軍用51區來測試秘密的戰鬥機，但許多人繼續相信它也在地下藏有外星人。恭喜發財！

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻