降半旗 at half-mast

英语自学网

　　2008年5月19日14时28分，在幅原辽阔的中华大地上，骤然响起了无数汽车、火车和舰船的长长鸣笛声，一阵阵凄厉的防空警报声也在各个城市拉响。人们都低头肃立着，静静地为举世震惊的汶川特大地震遇难者默哀3分钟。此前，国务院已正式发出公告，宣布2008年5月19日至21日三天为全国哀悼日，全国和各驻外机构下半旗志哀，停止公共娱乐活动。
　　Air raid sirens, and car, train and ship horns wailed and people stood for three minutes in silence yesterday to mourn the tens of thousands who died in last week's earthquake.
　　防空警报声响起，汽车、火车和舰船笛声哀鸣，人们肃立着为上周地震中的遇难者默哀3分钟。
　　Flags were flying at half-mast across the country and all public entertainment has been suspended as the three-day mourning period started. The Olympic torch relay is also suspended during the period.
　　在为期三天的全国哀悼日期间，全国各地降半旗致哀，停止各类公共娱乐活动。此间暂停奥运火炬传递。
　　上述报道中，stand in silence就是“起立默哀”的意思，at half-mast是“降半旗”的意思，用在句子里我们可以说：Flags are at half-mast. /Flags are flying at half-mast.
　　哀悼日期间，除了suspend public entertainment(停止公共娱乐活动)，suspend the Olympic torch relay(暂停奥运火炬传递)以外，外交部和驻外使领馆还设了“吊唁簿”(condolence books)，“股票和期货交易”(stocks and futures exchanges)19日下午14:28时“临时停市3分钟”(temporarily suspend trading for 3 minutes)。