比尔盖茨或成为全球首位万亿富翁

 　　In our lifetimes, we could see the first trillionaire.

　　有生之年，我们可能会看到第一位万亿富翁。

　　And, most likely, that first trillionaire would be Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

　　这位万亿富翁很可能就是微软公司的联合创始人——比尔·盖茨。

　　That's according to research by Oxfam, an international network of organizations collectively working to alleviate¹ global poverty. Its recently published report finds that eight billionaires from around the globe have as much money as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of the world's population.

　　据牛津乐施会（全球范围内致力于解决贫穷问题的国际性组织）发布的一份调查报告显示，全球最富有的8名亿万富翁的资产，相当于全球最贫穷的36亿人口的资产总和。

　　The report also finds that, given the exponential growth of existing wealth, the world could have its first trillionaire in the next 25 years, when Gates would be 86.

　　报告还指出，考虑到现有财富指数级的增长速度，未来25年内全球可能诞生首个净资产达万亿美元的富翁，届时比尔·盖茨将达到86岁的高龄。

　　比尔盖茨或成为全球首位万亿富翁

　　When Gates left Microsoft in 2006, his net worth was $50 billion, according to Oxfam. By 2016, his wealth had increased to $75 billion, despite his commendable² attempts to give it away through his Foundation.

　　据乐施会统计，比尔·盖茨2006年离开微软时的身价为500亿美元，到2016年，他的财富已增至750亿美元，尽管他已承诺通过旗下基金会捐出大部分的财富。

　　In addition to the charitable work Gates does through his personal foundation, he is one of the founding members of The Giving Pledge³, a commitment from some of the richest individuals in the world to give away more than half of their worth.

　　除上述通过个人基金会的慈善捐款之外，比尔·盖茨还是“捐赠誓言”活动的创始人之一。该活动要求参与活动的富豪个人承诺在一生中向慈善领域捐助至少半数的身家财富。

　　Oxfam researchers apply the average rate of growth the ultra-rich have been enjoying, 11 percent per year since 2009, to Gates' current levels of wealth (over $84 billion, according to Forbes).

　　乐施会的研究人员表示，自2009年以来，比尔·盖茨的财富就一直在增长，平均每年约增长11%。根据《福布斯》的数据显示，盖茨目前的身价超过了840亿美元。

　　If his investments keep doing as well as they have been, the 61-year-old Gates could indeed become the world's first trillionaire.

　　如果继续以这样的速度增长，这位现年61岁的全球首富的确有望在有生之年成为全球首个万亿富翁。

1 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

2 commendable   

adj.值得称赞的

参考例句：

• The government's action here is highly commendable.政府这样的行动值得高度赞扬。
• Such carping is not commendable.这样吹毛求疵真不大好。

3 pledge   

n.保证，誓言，抵押，抵押品；vt.保证，誓言，举杯祝...健康

参考例句：

• Take this ring as a pledge of our friendship.收下这枚戒指当作我们友谊的信物。
• The old man is willing to pledge for him.那位老人愿意为他担保。