This year a grand technicolor film about showbiz is a favorite for best picture at the Oscars.
今年，一部关于演艺圈的豪华特艺七彩电影在角逐奥斯卡最佳影片时呼声较高J4rtHAAS(G#F。
Yes, it was well regarded amongst critics and audiences around the country.
没错，这部影片获得了全国上下影评人士和观众的一致好评[Qsv]Q@vKi@+qf6k=r。
But is La La Land hands down the best film of the year?
然而，《音乐之声》真的是轻轻松松获得最佳影片的吗？
Is it good enough to beat out films like Moonlight that are widely considered more daring and unique?
它真的好过《月光男孩》之类被广泛认为更大胆更独特的电影吗？
History says yes. Because the oscar voting process favors mediocrity.
从过去看来答案是肯定的，因为奥斯卡的投票机制更青睐中规中矩的影片.SdG0Of,a,D[)0jk2[。
Back in 2009, the the Academy switched from a straight popular vote, to instant runoff voting or preferential voting.
早在2009年，奥斯卡评委会将大众直接投票改成了排序复选制，也就是偏好投票制wAleuLuz^p。
The Academy wanted to better ensure that the film with the broadest support won.
评委会想进一步确认支持率最高的影片能够获奖PpA#^Jx1II.2z)bSac。
But the other side of that coin is that bold, polarizing films get pushed to the side.
然而，这也就意味着那些大胆的极端的电影被边缘化dI.yXt.8#^xKAX2k。
At its most basic level, instant runoff voting involves ranking a number of choices rather than choosing just one.
究其本质，:排序复选制不再只选一部影片，而是选出多部种子影片，
Then the choice with the fewest votes is removed.
然后剔除选票最少的影片LRJ0gJbPzmoJy*W;。
And then those who voted for that candidate have their votes counted according to their second-favorite candidate.
但投票支持这些电影的人的选票可以计入他们第二喜欢的电影的选票中bVga#.=gKw+LQCdo3mF。
Then the candidate that now has the fewest votes is removed, and so on.
接下来剔除新一轮产生的投票最少的影片，如此反复xb2TzL9mo60z~pJJ。
It goes all the way until a candidate has 50% + 1 of the vote.
一直排除，直到产生选票比50%还多一票的影片F~[_UCJdP*g_s。
This applies to both the nominations process (although that does get a little weedy)
不仅提名阶段使用的是这一投票机制（尽管这样选举出来的影片的确有点儿良莠不齐），
and the process of selecting a best picture winner.
最佳影片使用的也是这一机制pD^.+w8fUdp0+PTD-f。
So, how would instant runoff voting ultimately play out in a real scenario?
那么:排序复选制在实际投票中究竟是如何运作的呢？
Let’s look at 2011 where the King’s Speech beat out 127 hours,
我们来看看2011年，也就是《国王的演讲》力压《127小时》、

The Fighter, Black Swan, Winter's Bone, True Grit, Inception, The Social Network, and The Kids are Alright.
《斗士》、《黑天鹅》、《冬天的骨头》、《大地惊雷》、《盗梦空间》、《社交网络》和《孩子们都很好》的那一年^8=oQ0+Ep^*9。
All these films were probably 1st place picks on a lot of ballots and dead last on others.
所有这些影片都是在某些选举中拔得头筹而在其他投票中一败涂地的影片r-akqiA2vZa。
It’s very possible that the passionate fan bases of each of these films all had the King’s speech ranked 2nd or 3rd.
很有可能这些电影的铁粉都把《国王的演讲》排在了他们心仪名单中的第二位或者第三位u%#p.5b8.zY9s。
When their 1st place vote wasn’t enough to stay in the game,
当他们心目中的首选影片投票数不够只能淘汰出局时，
their 2nd place votes were counted and re-added to the mix,
他们眼里排第二的影片还作数，并且其选票可以累计，
ultimately allowing The King’s Speech to come from behind.
才让《国王的演讲》能够杀出重围ye7HpxBAR!S8。
Because the King’s Speech had the broadest support rather than the most passionate support, it took home the prize.
正是因为《国王的演讲》有着最高的支持率而非最热情的支持，所以才夺得大奖4*+thYcHYgS^g9KoA#。
The new voting system seems to favor a certain type of film.
新的投票机制似乎对某一类电影情有独钟P)k-mWv+E42n8(gA7。
We’ve had instant runoff voting for 6 years and fully half of years have been movies about the movies.
排序复选制我们已经采用了6年了，而且，足足一半的时间胜出的都是关于电影本身的电影这种类型的影片MOT#mF.u6o^(2AXmv.,~。
And I’d count the King’s Speech as being sort of adjacent to that.
在我看来，《国王的演讲》差不多可以算作这类电影C%-Z]#|r[]-EKX!7Wcb1。
The King's Speech is about getting training about speech, elocution, and all things that actors have to go through.
这部电影讲述的是演讲演说相关的训练，而这些恰恰是演员们都要经历的.3yXo%XmLRYvLEmvAOlr。
Think Birdman, Argo, The Artist.
不妨想想《鸟人》、《逃离德黑兰》和《艺术家》这之类的电影Z_mG,.Sa1Qa36*q。
The Academy is made of 6687 film industry professionals who probably enjoy movies about themselves.
奥斯卡评审委员会6000名评委都是电影行业的专业人士，他们很可能喜欢的是那种关于电影本身的影片LNBir&%&9fmXBOlgHIX。
They might not rank a film about showbiz as number 1, but many might place it 2nd or third which is precisely where it's most dangerous.
他们可能不会将讲述娱乐圈故事的电影排在第一位，但很多人都可能将其排在第二或第三，这恰好是最危险的地方HwQH4!K0O[.gEAy。
In 2005 before instant runoff voting was instituted, Crash, won best picture.
2005年，排序复选制还没开始采用，《撞车》拿到了最佳影片miSuy-9)Jt77]#Nzgj|。
And the Oscar goes to Crash.
获奖的是《撞车》1GtPxs^]@kY5。
It’s a film people either despise or love.
而人们对这部电影的评价褒贬不一wz[rH~[]&;#QKi*。
I think we really want those movies that inspire those extreme reactions one way or another.
在我看来，我们真的需要那些能够让大家产生非常极端的反应，无论是极端赞赏还是极端批评的电影f8^WAA0@m2KG~P.c5)。
Sometimes the movie wins that you hate and sometimes the movie that you love.
有时候获奖的是你讨厌的电影，有时候则是你喜欢的MPuDCrm9]E=VT3G。
I’d rather see that than the movie that everyone was kind of okay with.
与其看到那些大家勉强同意的电影获奖，我更希望看到这种情况D;FlkH&~nBZAGP。
In fact, Crash beat out a film that might have easily have won in today's instant runoff system:
事实上，《撞车》超过了一部很可能能在今天排序复选制中轻易胜出的电影：
A period film about entertainment directed by Hollywood royalty, George Clooney: Goodnight, and Good Luck.
一部由好莱坞名流乔治·克鲁尼指导的关于娱乐圈的历史片《晚安，好运》9lnLXP*&Gs@i3^ZyoX-K。