Connecticut kitten mystery solved, police say

 

警方說康乃狄克州小貓之謎已破解

【摘要2023.9.16.六.自由】◎周虹汶

Police who found a kitten in a stolen car say they have located the animal’s owner: A juvenile suspect who fled and was arrested after the car crashed.

在一輛被盜汽車中發現一隻小貓的警方說，他們已找到該動物的飼主：一名青少年嫌犯，他在撞車後逃跑並被捕。

The Meriden Police Department said on its Facebook page Thursday that the gray-and-white male cat has been returned to the suspect’s mother.

梅里登警察局週四在其臉書頁面上說，這隻灰白色公貓已交還嫌犯母親。

The department said the youth said nothing to officers about the pet, which was found under a seat. Instead, police were led to the owner by someone who responded to the department’s Facebook post earlier this week looking for the animal’s owner.

該局表示，這名年輕人絲毫沒向警方透露這隻在座位下發現的寵物。反之，本週稍早，有人回覆該局尋找該動物飼主的臉書貼文，引領警方找到了該名飼主。

Police said they found the feline while searching for evidence after the stolen vehicle collided with a patrol car during an Aug. 10 chase. Officers were pursuing the vehicle on suspicion that it had been used in armed robberies in several nearby communities hours earlier. After the crash, six suspects fled but were soon arrested. (AP)

警方說，在8月10日一次追捕行動中，這輛被盜車輛與一輛巡邏車相撞後，他們在尋找證據時發現了這隻貓。警方在追捕這輛車時懷疑它幾小時前在鄰近幾個社區用於武裝搶劫。碰撞後，6名嫌犯逃逸，但很快被捕。（美聯社）

新聞辭典

collide：動詞，指碰撞。例句：He collided with a tree.（他撞上一棵樹。）

suspicion：名詞，懷疑、猜想、不信任、嫌疑、不信任、少量。例句：She gave just a suspicion of a smile.（她只是微微一笑。）

 

Police stop Nebraska man for bucking the law with a bull riding shotgun in his car

 

內布拉斯加州男子因違法讓公牛坐車子副駕駛座被警察攔下

【摘要2023.9.9.六.自由】◎周虹汶

A car driving with a bull in it was pulled over by police in northeast Nebraska’s biggest city.

一輛載有公牛的汽車在內布拉斯加州東北最大城被警察攔下。

Don’t worry, he didn’t steer.

別擔心，牠沒掌方向盤。

Norfolk Police Capt. Chad Reiman said it didn’t take long for officers to track down the modified Ford Crown Victoria sedan with a bull riding shotgun after a 911 call about it driving on the main highway entering the city of roughly 24,000 Wednesday morning.

諾福克市警局局長查德．雷曼說，警方沒多久就追查到這輛副駕駛座坐著一頭公牛的改裝福特維多利亞皇冠轎車，在週三早上接到關於它開上進入這座約2萬4000人口城市之主要高速公路的911報案電話後。

The car that Lee Meyer has driven in parades across the area for years has half the windshield and roof removed to make room for his bull, named Howdy Doody, to ride along. A yellow metal cattle gate serves as the passenger side door — allowing for the Watusi bull to be tied up — and a set of longhorns serves as a hood ornament. (AP)

李．邁耶多年來在該地區遊行駕駛的汽車拆掉了半塊的擋風玻璃與車頂，以便為他名叫霍迪．杜迪的公牛騰出空間一起搭車。一扇黃色金屬牛門當乘客側門——讓這隻瓦圖西公牛拴起來——還有一組長角牛當引擎蓋裝飾。（美聯社）

新聞辭典

shotgun：名詞，獵槍、滑膛槍、霰彈槍、汽車副駕駛座。例句：Has anyone called shotgun?（已經有人說要坐副駕駛座了嗎？）

buck：名詞，指雄鹿、公羊、牡兔、羚羊、花花公子、紈褲子弟；動詞，指馬猛然彎背躍起、山羊等低頭撞去、強烈反抗、反對、車輛顛簸、傳遞。例句：We’d better buck the question on to him.（我們最好把這個問題交給他去解答。）

 

Shohei Ohtani pitches cosmetics for Kose, proves a hit with men

 

大谷翔平為高絲推銷化妝品 男士們很買帳

【摘要2023.9.8.自由】◎張沛元

Kose Corp. unleashed an advertising campaign for a beauty serum from its Cosme Decorte luxury line featuring Japanese two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani during the World Baseball Classic in March.

高絲公司在今年3月世界棒球經典賽期間，推出以二刀流超級球星大谷翔平為主角、（推銷）旗下奢華路線品牌黛珂的1款美容精華液的廣告。

The “Ohtani effect” was out of the ballpark.

結果「大谷效應」大爆發。

“Middle-aged or older men, who are not usually expected on cosmetics floors of department stores, drop in and ask for the serum, just pointing to the purple-colored container and without even inquiring about its price,” Kazutoshi Kobayashi, president of the company told The Asahi Shimbun. “I am surprised to say the least.”

「通常不預期會現身百貨公司化妝品樓層的中老年男性，會順道過來買精華液，（他們）就只是指著（大谷代言的）紫色瓶子，甚至連價格都沒問，」該公司社長小林一俊告訴《朝日新聞》。「我至少可以說感到非常驚訝。」

新聞辭典

be/make a (big, etc.) hit with somebody：片語，留下很好的第一印象：一見鍾情；大受歡迎。例句：The dish is a big hit with all my family, so I guess maybe you will love it too.（這道菜我們全家都很愛，所以我猜你可能也會喜歡。）

out of the ballpark：片語，1)字面指「出了球場」，形容數量、尺寸或規模大於預測或預期；2) 通常前加hit (something)，字面指「把某物打出球場」，指非常好或非常成功。例句：The car repair bill was way out of the ball park.（修車費帳單出乎意料地貴。）

to say the least：片語，至少可以說，意指實際的情況更好／壞／嚴重等。

Italian police dog with fine nose for cocaine sniffs out drugs hidden in banana shipment

 

很會嗅查古柯鹼的義大利警犬 聞出藏在貨運香蕉中的毒品

【摘要2023.9.7.四.自由】◎孫宇青

With the help of a dog with a fine nose for cocaine, Italian police seized more than 2,700 kilos of the drug hidden in 70 tons of boxed bananas shipped from Ecuador.

在一隻很會嗅查古柯鹼的警犬幫助下，義大利警方查獲藏在厄瓜多出發的70噸盒裝香蕉中的2700多公斤古柯鹼。

Police estimated that the cocaine, which they described as of the finest quality, could have brought traffickers more than 800 million euros in street sales if it had reached its ultimate destination in Armenia.

警方稱這批古柯鹼品質一流，若順利送達最終目的地亞美尼亞，並在街頭販售的話，估可為毒販賺進逾8億歐元。

Police revealed that documents and a background check indicated the shippers of the bananas weren’t in the business of moving that much fruit.

警方指出，文件和背景審查顯示，本案的香蕉經銷商並未準備運送這麼多香蕉。

Officers used scanning machines and the dog, named Joel, to uncover packets of cocaine hidden in boxes stacked meters-high in container trucks.

官員使用掃瞄儀器和名叫喬爾的警犬，在貨櫃車裡堆成數公尺高的箱子中，揪出藏在裡頭的一包包古柯鹼。

Joel leaped high and eagerly when the officers opened the back doors of the truck, and pawed furiously at the unloaded boxes to try to move the bananas aside.（AP）

當警方打開卡車後門後，喬爾激昂地揚起身子，並生氣地抓著尚未卸載的箱子，試圖移開香蕉。（美聯社）

新聞辭典

sniff out：動詞片語，聞出、發現。例句：She tried to sniff out talents at the campus job fair.（她試圖在校園博覽會挖掘人才。）

stack：動詞，堆疊、形成堆。例句：These apples stacked orderly.（這些蘋果疊得很整齊。）

 

周末補覺還不了睡眠債 牛津專家：缺這「關鍵」更糟

 

Janine Jansen performs Tchaikovsky Violin 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geFXEdMuXl0

【摘要2023.9.6.三.中時】周間日上班累了5天，睡眠不足只得撐著，就等周末放假好好補個眠。然而周末大睡特睡之後回到職場，你是否頭昏腦脹、沒有明顯恢復的感覺？

牛津大學專家警告，周末多睡幾個小時不太可能彌補勞累5天累積的睡眠債，大睡一場往往更累，若未接觸到晨光則會讓人更晚睡，打亂作息。

英國牛津大學睡眠與晝夜節律學專家佛斯特（Russell Foster）向《每日郵報》表示，大量研究顯示，即使周六、周日兩個晚上各睡10小時，也無法讓大腦認知能力恢復正常，反而會打亂生理時鐘，導致晚上更難入睡。

佛斯特說，白天難以達到「最佳狀態」的人，往往是睡眠不足的緣故。人們每晚需要睡眠平均8小時，不過，6小時到10.5小時也算「健康範圍」，每晚睡眠時數在這個範圍內的人，如果白天並無疲憊感，就不必太過擔心。

佛斯特提醒，經常感覺疲倦、煩躁、衝動，需要含糖、含咖啡因飲料的人，可能需要更多睡眠，然而，以周末「補眠」彌補周間日睡眠不足，並非最佳解，「就算周末每晚睡眠長達10小時，到了星期一你會覺得還是沒補足。

他說，輕度睡眠不足的人，例如每晚睡眠時間短少30分鐘，那麼偶爾在周末多睡一點的壞處不大。不過，要注意周末補眠起床的時間，如果錯過上午時段的陽光，會對生理時鐘產生連鎖反應，因為接觸晨光有助於形成早睡早起的作息。他建議，睡眠不足的人晚上早點就寢，堅持規律作息，「就算周末睡得多，還是要早點就寢，而不是晚睡。」

英國國民保健署（NHS）建議的6個助眠訣竅有包括：1.累了就去睡，2.每天固定時間起床；3.置身黑暗、安靜、涼爽的環境有助入睡；4.適當運動，但睡前避免劇烈運動；5.睡不著就起來做些放鬆的活動，有睡意時就去睡覺；6.睡前寫下心中的煩惱；睡前避免喝咖啡與飲酒。

21 dead after a wind-tossed boat overturns in the Philippines

 

 一艘被風吹得顛簸的船在菲律賓翻覆 造成21人死亡

【摘要2023.9.6.三.自由】◎管淑平

At least 21 people died and 40 others were rescued after a Philippine passenger boat overturned on Thursday when it was lashed by strong winds in Laguna Lake southeast of Manila, police said.

警方說，一艘菲律賓客船週四在馬尼拉東南方的貝湖遭強風侵襲翻覆後，至少21人死亡，另外40人被救起。

The incident happened as the passengers onboard suddenly moved to one side of the boat in panic when it came under fierce winds shortly after departing from a wharf for a nearby island.

這起事件是在這艘船剛從碼頭出發要前往附近一座島時發生，當時船隻遭遇猛烈風勢，乘客在驚慌中突然都移動到船的一側。

The boat overturned only about 46 meters from the shore, the coast guard said.

海巡隊說，船隻才離岸僅約46公尺就翻覆。

The Rizal provincial police said they immediately launched a search and rescue operation with the help of the coast guard and other local authorities, and that at least 40 people were saved but that 21 others drowned. (AP)

黎剎省警方說，他們在海巡隊和其他地方單位協助下，立即啟動搜救行動，至少40人獲救，但另外21人溺斃。（美聯社）

新聞辭典

toss：動詞，顛簸，翻來覆去。例句：The ship was tossed in the stormy sea.（這艘船在暴風雨的海中顛簸。）

come under：片語，突然遭受、遭遇某事物或經歷。例句：We came under heavy artillery fire.（我們遭遇猛烈砲擊。）

 

Mission accomplished, India puts moon rover to ’sleep’

 

任務完成，印度讓月球探測車「休眠」

【摘要2023.9.5.二.自由】◎魏國金

ndia switched off its moon rover, the first craft to reach the lunar south pole, after it completed its two-week assignment conducting experiments, the country’s space agency said.

在完成2週的實驗任務後，印度關閉其第一個抵達月球南極的探測車，印度太空機構說。

The Pragyan rover from the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was "set into Sleep mode" but with batteries charged and receiver on, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a post on X.

來自月球飛船3號的「普拉岡」號「進入休眠模式」，不過電池已充電，接收器仍開啟，印度太空研究組織（ISRO）在X平台上發文說。

"Hoping for a successful awakening for another set of assignments!" ISRO said. "Else, it will forever stay there as India’s lunar ambassador."

「希望為另一輪任務成功醒來！」IRSO說。「否則，它將永遠留在那兒，做為印度的月球大使」。

By landing on the moon, India joined the United States, China and the former Soviet Union. It went beyond them in reaching the rugged south pole, shortly after Russia’s Luna-25 crashed on a similar attempt.

藉由登陸月球，印度加入美國、中國與前蘇聯的行列。但在抵達崎嶇的南極上，印度超越他們，不久之前，俄羅斯的月球-25號在類似的嘗試中墜毀。

Chandrayaan-3’s soft, textbook touchdown after a failed attempt in 2019 sparked widespread jubilation in the world’s most populous country. The media hailed the landing as India’s greatest scientific feat.

在2019年1次失敗的嘗試後，月球飛船3號足堪範例的軟著陸，在這個全世界人口最多的國家引發歡騰。媒體讚揚該著陸為印度最偉大的科學成就。

新聞辭典

go beyond：超越、超出。例句：The matter has gone beyond a joke.（這事可不是鬧著玩的。）

jubilation：歡騰、歡慶。例句：There was great jubilation when the armistice was announced.（停戰協議宣布時，大家歡欣鼓舞。）

 

Alabama is seeking to become the first state to execute a prisoner by making him breathe pure nitrogen.

 

全美第一州 阿拉巴馬州擬用吸入純氮氣方式處死犯人

【摘要2023.9.4.一.自由】◎陳成良

The Alabama attorney general’s office on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to set an execution date for death row inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58. The court filing indicated Alabama plans to put him to death by nitrogen hypoxia, an execution method that is authorized in three states but has never been used.

阿拉巴馬州檢察長辦公室週五要求州最高法院，針對58歲死刑犯史密斯設定處決日期。法院文件顯示，阿拉巴馬州預計用氮氣窒息的方式將他處決。這種處決方法已在3個州獲得批准，但從未使用過。

Nitrogen hypoxia is caused by forcing the inmate to breathe only nitrogen, depriving them of oxygen and causing them to die. Nitrogen makes up 78% of the air inhaled by humans and is harmless when inhaled with oxygen. While proponents of the new method have theorized it would be painless, opponents have likened it to human experimentation.

氮氣窒息是逼迫死刑犯只吸入純氮氣，剝奪他們的氧氣而導致死亡。人類吸入的空氣中有78％是氮氣，混合著氧氣時是無害的。雖然新方法的支持者認為，它理論上是無痛苦的，但反對者認為這根本是人體實驗。

Alabama authorized nitrogen hypoxia in 2018 amid a shortage of drugs used to carry out lethal injections, but the state has not attempted to use it until now to carry out a death sentence. Oklahoma and Mississippi have also authorized nitrogen hypoxia, but have not used it. (AP)

阿拉巴馬州在2018年因為以注射方式處死的藥物缺貨，批准可以氮氣窒息的方式執刑，但直到現在還沒有嘗試用來執行死刑。奧克拉荷馬州和密西西比州也已批氮氣窒息，但也沒有真正實施過。（美聯社）

新聞辭典

hypoxia：名詞，氧過少；低氧。例句：Hypoxia in hospital patients has various causes, from circulation problems to metabolism difficulties.（在醫院中的患者發生組織缺氧的原因有很多種，從循環問題到代謝困難。）

proponent：名詞，提倡者；宣導者；辯護者。例句：He is one of the leading proponents of capital punishment.（他是死刑的主要支持者之一。）