國中之國：英語精讀講義

When it comes to neighbors, 片語搭配

說到鄰國，

most countries have several options like north to Canada or south to Mexico,

大多數國家都有幾個選擇，比如向北到加拿大或向南到墨西哥，

but there are countries that don't have this freedom of choice. 片語搭配

但有些國家卻沒有這種選擇的自由。

Not because they're islands, 文法

這並不是因為它們是島國，

but because they're trapped in another country. 慣用語

而是因為它們被困在另一個國家裡。

For example, tiny Vatican City,

例如微小的梵蒂岡城，

which fits inside of not just Italy, but also just Rome. 文法

它不僅位於義大利境內，甚至整個就在羅馬城內。

How Vatican City got surrounded is complicated, but not unique. 文法

梵蒂岡城如何被包圍的歷史很複雜，但這並非獨一無二。

For there's also the Republic of San Marino,

因為還有聖馬利諾共和國，

home to 30,000 citizens, 片語搭配

這裡擁有3萬名公民，

which Italy also completely surrounds.

它同樣被義大利完全包圍。

Italy, apparently,

顯然，義大利

is a country that likes countries in its country.

是一個喜歡自己國內有其他國家的國家。

But trapping nations is not just Italy's thing, 慣用語

但是，包圍其他國家並不只是義大利的專利，

for there's also Lesotho in South Africa,

因為在南非內部還有賴索托，

which is both the largest encircled country at 70 times Vatican City's size 文法

它是最大的國中國，面積是梵蒂岡城的70倍，

and the most populated with over 2 million citizens.

同時也是人口最多的，擁有超過200萬公民。

The thing that makes these three countries' borders bizarre 文法

這三個國家的邊界之所以奇特，

is that any path in or out

是因為任何進出的路線

must go through the one and only neighbor they have. 片語搭配

都必須穿過它們唯一的鄰國。

But now take a look at the Gambia, 片語搭配

但現在來看看甘比亞，

which excluding that tiny ocean border,

如果不算那一點微小的海岸線，

is as surrounded as any nation can get. 文法

它的被包圍程度堪稱世界之最。

If we amend the previous rule to every land route, 用詞

如果我們將之前的規則修改為適用於所有陸路交通，

now we've made a category of single-neighbored nations,

現在我們就創建了一個「單一鄰國」的類別，

which includes all four of these

這不僅包括剛才提到的這四個國家，

and countries like Portugal,

還包括像葡萄牙這樣的國家，

where the only way in or out is through Spain. 文法

進出葡萄牙的唯一陸路通道就是經過西班牙。

Who else is on this list?

名單上還有誰？

Well, there's Monaco, which must go through France,

嗯，還有必須穿過法國的摩納哥，

Qatar through Saudi Arabia,

穿過沙烏地阿拉伯的卡達，

Denmark through Germany,

穿過德國的丹麥，

South Korea through North Korea,

穿過北韓的南韓，

though South Korea might as well be an island nation for most practical travel purposes, 講解

儘管在實際旅行中，南韓幾乎可以被看作是一個島國，

East Timor and Papua New Guinea both through Indonesia,

東帝汶和巴布亞紐幾內亞都要穿過印尼，

Brunei through Malaysia,

汶萊要穿過馬來西亞，

and there are two sets of twins.

而且還有兩對「雙胞胎」。

There's the Dominican Republic,

第一對是多明尼加共和國，

whose only neighbor is Haiti,

它唯一的鄰國是海地，

and Haiti,

還有海地，

whose only neighbor is the Dominican Republic.

它唯一的鄰國是多明尼加共和國。

And the second set is Ireland through the United Kingdom

第二對是必須穿過英國的愛爾蘭，

and the United Kingdom through Ireland.

以及必須穿過愛爾蘭的英國。

A side note here, 表達脈絡

順便提一句，

while there are tons of British places around the world, 用詞

雖然世界各地有很多英國的海外領地，

some of which border other nations, 文法

其中一些也與其他國家接壤，

these are not part of the United Kingdom.

但它們並不是英國本土的一部分。

It's complicated.

這有點複雜。

Though, if you wanted to, 語氣意圖

不過，如果你願意的話，

you could argue that the United Kingdom technically

你也可以說英國在技術上

dug a land border under the Channel to the continent, 講解

在英吉利海峽下挖出了一條通往歐洲大陸的陸地邊界，

presumably to be closer to France, 語氣意圖

大概是為了離法國更近一點，

her best friend ever.

畢竟法國是她「永遠的好朋友」。

Finally,

最後，

there's one more country in this category,

這個類別裡還有一個國家，

Canada,

加拿大，

the largest single-neighbored nation in the world. 文法

它是世界上擁有單一鄰國中面積最大的國家。