大概是因为网络的无处不在，现在世界各地好像都在流行“快闪”。可能在我们城市的某个区域，此刻正有一群flash mob在活动呢。你会是其中之一吗？

Flash mob refers to a large group of people who gather in a usually predetermined location, perform an unusual action for a brief time, and then quickly disperse¹.

快闪族（flash mob）指聚集在一个事先商定好的地点，在短时间内完成一些异常的举动，然后快速解散并消失的一大群人。

Organizing a "flash mob" basically involves e-mailing a bunch of people with instructions to show up at a certain place for a few moments, then disappear. To protect the planned serendipity² of each event, participants aren't told exactly what the mob is supposed to do until just before the event happens.

组织一次“快闪”活动，基本上只需要用电子邮件通知一群人在某个地点出现一会儿，然后消失。为了确保每次活动的新奇性，直到活动开始之前，参加者才会被告知当次活动的内容。

The term flash mob is generally applied³ only to gatherings⁴ organized via telecommunications, social media, or viral emails, not applied to events organized by public relations firms.

“快闪族”这个词只适用于那些通过远程通讯、社会媒介或者转发邮件组织的集会，公关公司组织的活动不在此列。

Example of a well known flash mob was the April 2006 silent disco in London. At various London Underground stations, people gathered with their portable music devices, and at a set time began dancing to their music. It was reported that more than 4,000 people participated at London Victoria station.

快闪族一个比较有名的例子是2006年4月伦敦的“沉默迪斯科”活动。人们带着自己的随身音乐播放设备到达伦敦各个地铁站，然后在一个事先定好的时间，所有人开始跟着音乐起舞。据报道，当时有4000多人聚集在伦敦维多利亚地铁站参加快闪活动。