慢速英语:北美空防司令部跟随圣诞老人周游世界

音频下载[点击右键另存为]

Children around the world want to know where a happy old man and his sleigh full of gifts are on Christmas Eve.

Christmas and its many traditions are observed around the world on December 25.

For the 64th year, a program run by the U.S. and Canadian militaries will give updates about the location of Santa Claus, also known as Papa Noel, Saint Nick or Father Christmas

This year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, is offering new ways for children and parents to follow Santa's movements.

Children and adults can follow Santa on Alexa, OnStar, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and 3-D apps. Cesium, a Philadelphia-based information technology company and defense contractor, developed the apps. They use satellite technology with high-resolution graphics. These graphics show the real positions of the stars, sun and moon and even the shadows they cast at any point in Santa's trip.

Operation NORAD Tracks Santa has continued for a long time. It all started with a telephone call in 1955. Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup received a call from a young child. The child thought she was calling Santa.

The fast-thinking Shoup quickly told his caller that he was, and a tradition was born.

Today, about 1,500 volunteers take emails and telephone calls to 1-877-HI-NORAD, or 1-877-446-6723. They work at phone banks at Peterson Air Force Base, in the state of Colorado.

Most early calls come from Japan and Europe, the Associated Press reports. Then, many calls come from the U.S. and Canada, said program manager Preston Schlachter. Callers from Britain ask about Father Christmas. Those in France generally ask about Papa Noel.

For team members, once "Big Red" — Santa's code name — is in the air, Schlachter said, "it's off to the races. I've never had a block of time move so quickly," he said.

I'm John Russell.

James Anderson reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted her story for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.