失蹤10年的員工在超市內被尋獲：英語精讀講義

No one could have anticipated the shocking discovery 文法

沒人能預料到這個驚人的發現

in an old closed down No Frills Supermarket 片語動詞

在一家已經倒閉的舊 No Frills Supermarket 裡

in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

位於愛荷華州康瑟爾布拉夫斯。

Contractors went to work on the vacant building 片語搭配

承包商來到這座空置的建築施工

thinking they were just going in for the daily grind 慣用語

以為只是去完成日常的苦差事

on an ordinary cold day in January of 2019.

那是2019年1月一個寒冷而平常的日子。

They probably started their day like anyone else,

他們大概和別人一樣開始新的一天，

drinking a hot cup of coffee

喝著一杯熱咖啡，

before venturing into hard manual labor.

然後再投入繁重的體力勞動中。

But this would be no run of the mill type of workday 慣用語

但這絕非尋常的工作日

for them.

對他們而言。

As they started removing the store's empty shelving units and coolers,

當他們開始拆除店裡空蕩蕩的貨架和冷櫃時，

they found something deeply disturbing.

發現了一些令人毛骨悚然的東西。

A human body.

一具人類屍體。

It's a sight that most people would rather not have to face or come across, 片語動詞

大多數人都寧願不必面對或遇到這樣的景象，

especially not when they least expect it. 片語搭配

尤其是在毫無心理準備的情況下。

Authorities could not immediately identify the body

當局無法立刻確認死者的身分，

or even determine the person's sex or age.

甚至無法確定其性別或年齡。

It had to be sent to the Iowa State Medical Examiner's office 文化背景

必須將其送往愛荷華州法醫辦公室

for a thorough autopsy.

進行徹底的屍檢。

Only then could the individual be identified 文法

只有到那時，這名死者才被確認為

as Larry Ely Moncada,

Larry Ely Moncada，

a man who had been reported missing 片語搭配

他是一名被報失蹤的男子，

10 years ago back in 2009.

失蹤時間要追溯到10年前的2009年。

Mario Moncada was only 25 years old when he disappeared.

Mario Moncada 失蹤時年僅25歲。

He worked as an employee of the No Frills Supermarket

他曾是 No Frills Supermarket 的一名員工，

while it was still operational.

當時超市還在營業。

The mystery over his initial disappearance

他最初失蹤時的謎團

turned into a new mystery 片語動詞

如今變成了一個新的謎團，

as the recovery of his remains

因為他遺骸的尋獲

sparked more questions than answers. 慣用語

引發了更多難以解答的問題。

People were baffled,

人們感到困惑，

wondering how a young guy could just die at work one day

納悶一個年輕小夥怎麼會有一天死在工作崗位上，

and go unnoticed for years on end. 片語搭配

而且好幾年都沒人發現。

Almost an entire decade undetected.

幾乎整整十年都沒被發現。

The man was reported missing on November 28th, 2009

該男子於2009年11月28日被報失蹤，

during the midst of a heavy snowstorm. 文法

當時正值一場暴風雪肆虐。

His parents last saw him leaving

他的父母最後一次看到他離開時，

with no shoes,

沒穿鞋，

no socks,

沒穿襪子，

no keys,

沒帶鑰匙，

and no car.

也沒有開車。

Before his disappearance,

在他失蹤之前，

he was reportedly experiencing some severe mental health issues. 用詞

據說他正經歷一些嚴重的心理健康問題。

His mother explained that he arrived home from work

他的母親解釋說，他下班回家時

that Thanksgiving

在那個感恩節

seeming very disoriented.

顯得非常神志不清。

He began hearing voices telling him to eat sugar. 用詞

他開始聽到有聲音叫他吃糖。

He complained that his heart was beating too hard

他抱怨自己的心跳太劇烈，

and that he needed sugar to calm it.

需要吃糖來平復心跳。

He also felt that he was being followed

他還覺得有人在跟蹤他，

and he was very scared.

並且感到非常害怕。

It was possible that he was experiencing some form of psychosis

他可能正在經歷某種形式的精神病發作，

provoked by intense anxiety

這種發作由極度焦慮引發，

causing schizophrenia-like symptoms of paranoia,

導致了類似精神分裂症的妄想、

hallucinations,

幻覺

and delusions.

以及錯覺症狀。

He'd just been prescribed antidepressants

在他失蹤時，他剛剛被

by a doctor upon his disappearance.

醫生開具了抗抑鬱藥物。

He ran off and was never heard from again. 講解

他跑出了家門，從此杳無音信。

There was no activity on his debit or credit card

他的借記卡或信用卡沒有任何交易紀錄，

and the No Frills Supermarket reported that he stopped showing up for work. 片語動詞

No Frills Supermarket 也報告說他沒再來上班。

For a long time,

很長一段時間裡，

his whereabouts remained unknown. 用詞

他的下落成謎。

His poor mother must have been frantic. 文法

他可憐的母親一定急瘋了。

Here's what is believed to have happened. 文法

以下是人們推測發生的事情：

Former employees at the No Frills Supermarket

No Frills Supermarket 的前員工

explained that they would sometimes climb into the space 文法

解釋說他們有時會爬進

above the coolers,

冷櫃上方的空間，

which was used for storage.

那裡是用來存放東西的。

Mario Moncada went in to work on that fateful day 片語搭配

Mario Moncada 在那個決定命運的日子去上班，

and probably tried to climb into the storage space.

可能試圖爬進那個儲物空間。

Perhaps he was still feeling distressed

也許他仍感到苦惱，

and needed some time alone to gather himself.

需要一個人靜一靜來整理情緒。

Maybe he viewed the storage space as a good place to do this,

也許他覺得那個儲物空間是個好地方，

or perhaps he just needed to grab something.

又或許他只是需要拿點東西。

Whatever the case may be, 表達脈絡

無論情況如何，

we can speculate that when he pulled himself on top of the coolers,

我們可以推測，當他爬上冷櫃頂部時，

he must have fallen behind them.

一定是掉到了冷櫃後面。

He then became trapped in the 12-foot

然後他被困在了那個高12英尺、

18-inch wide space

寬18英寸的縫隙裡，

between the coolers and the wall.

這個縫隙位於冷櫃和牆壁之間。

Now, here's the disturbing part of the story. 表達脈絡

故事中最令人不安的部分來了。

Because the noise being generated by the coolers was so loud,

因為冷櫃運作的噪音非常大，

there was probably no way 文法

根本不可能

that anyone could have heard him

有人能聽到他的聲音，

if he screamed for help.

即使他大聲呼救。

That means that if he did not die instantly from the fall, 文法

這意味著，如果他沒有在跌落時當場死亡，

he could have met a very lonely,

他可能會面臨一種非常孤獨、

slow,

緩慢，

and terrifying demise,

且可怕的死亡，

almost like one would feel being buried alive.

幾乎就像是被活埋的感覺。

Only in this case,

只不過在這種情況下，

there were people around who could have helped him,

周圍明明有可以幫助他的人，

but sadly he was powerless to get their attention.

但可悲的是他無力引起他們的注意。

To make matters worse, 表達脈絡

更糟的是，

he wasn't scheduled to work that day, 片語搭配

他那天本來不該上班，

so no one even knew he was there

所以根本沒人知道他在那裡，

or thought to look for him.

更別提去尋找他了。

By the time he was found, 文法

等到他被發現時，

Mario Moncada's body was completely unrecognizable.

Mario Moncada 的屍體已經完全無法辨認。

He was only able to be identified

只能透過

by using the DNA from his parents.

使用他父母的DNA來確認身分。

This probably provided them with the worst kind of closure, 用詞

這大概給了他們最糟糕的一種了結，

as they probably hoped their son was still alive somewhere.

因為他們可能一直希望兒子在某個地方還活著。

Investigators examined the results of the autopsy

調查人員檢查了屍檢結果，

and determined his death to be accidental.

並認定他的死亡為意外。

Still, one can't help but wonder 片語搭配

儘管如此，人們還是不禁納悶，

how the No Frills Supermarket managed to go so long 文法

No Frills Supermarket 怎麼能這麼長時間

without discovering the body.

都沒有發現這具屍體。

It's creepy to think that the employees

一想到員工們

probably continued to utilize the storage space

可能一直在使用這個儲物空間，

while not realizing

卻沒有意識到

that there was a dead coworker lying beneath them.

下面躺著一名死去的同事，真是令人毛骨悚然。

How, throughout the span of many years,

在這麼多年裡，怎麼會

did they never once think

他們竟然一次也沒有想過

to check or clean the space back there?

去檢查或清理一下後面的那個空間？

How could a body just remain unfound

一具屍體怎麼會

in a public space for so long?

在公共場所這麼長時間沒被發現？

The eerie component to this story

這個故事的詭異之處

may be the thought that this can indeed happen,

也許在於讓人想到這種事確實可能發生，

and if it occurred for Mario Moncada,

既然它能發生在 Mario Moncada 身上，

it can happen to you, too.

也可能發生在你身上。

So then,

那麼，

you might wonder if this has happened anywhere else.

你可能會好奇這是否在其他地方也發生過。

People are reported missing all the time.

失蹤人口的報告無時無刻不在發生。

So, how many bodies remain unfound

那麼，有多少屍體仍未被發現，

in the most obvious of places? 文法

隱藏在最顯眼的地方？

At your local grocery store,

在你當地的雜貨店、

your favorite novelty shop,

你最喜歡的新奇品店、

a restaurant you frequently visit.

或者你經常光顧的餐廳。

For the Iowa No Frills Supermarket,

對愛荷華州的 No Frills Supermarket 來說，

this was certainly the case.

確乎如此。

Shoppers innocently frequented the store for years,

顧客們多年來若無其事地光顧這家店，

blissfully unaware 片語搭配

渾然不知

that death hid behind the coolers in the back room. 慣用語

死亡就藏在後屋的冷櫃後面。

You see this type of story on crime shows and mystery thrillers,

你在犯罪節目和懸疑驚悚片中會看到這類故事，

but you never anticipate

但你絕不會預料到

that something like this could be brought so close to home. 慣用語

類似的事情竟會離你如此之近。

For this reason,

正因為如此，

Mario Moncada's father, Victor Mario,

Mario Moncada 的父親 Victor Mario

demanded answers.

要求得到一個交代。

It's understandable that he would be just as baffled

完全可以理解他會一樣感到困惑，

over the situation

對這整個情況

as anyone else.

感到不解。

And even more so 片語搭配

而且更甚的是，

since he was directly related to the victim.

因為他是受害者的直系親屬。

The grieving father,

這位悲痛欲絕的父親，

suffering tremendous pain over the loss,

承受著失去兒子的巨大痛苦，

asked the question,

提出了這樣一個問題：

"How can a body just be there undetected?"

「一具屍體怎麼會就那麼放在那裡沒被發現？」

Investigators described the situation

調查人員將這種情況描述為

as being very unique,

至少可以說是

to say the least. 慣用語

非常特殊。

The store continued to run for seven long years

在 Mario Moncada 致命失蹤後，

after Mario Moncada's fatal disappearance.

超市繼續營業了整整七年。

It only just closed its doors in 2016, 慣用語

它直到2016年才關門，

three years before his body was uncovered.

也就是他遺體被發現的三年前。

Perhaps after hearing this story,

也許聽完這個故事後，

you may never walk into a supermarket

你再走進超市時，

the same way again.

感覺將大不相同。

It's hard to think about

這讓人難以細想，

and spooky enough to make your skin crawl. 慣用語

陰森得足以讓人起雞皮疙瘩。

Yet it teaches a ghastly lesson

然而它也傳達了一個可怕的教訓，

that tragedy can lurk in the shadows 慣用語

即悲劇可能潛伏在

of everyday mundane life.

枯燥日常生活的陰影中。

And there is another lesson to be learned

還有另一個教訓值得我們汲取，

from the events

從那些事件中，

that led to Moncada's disappearance

那些導致 Moncada 失蹤

and death.

和死亡的事件。

That is,

那就是，

the problems associated with his mental health

與他心理健康相關的問題，

that pushed him to run away from home

促使他離家出走，

in the first place 片語搭配

首當其衝地，

and act in irrational ways.

並且做出不理智的行為。

Heading out amid a snowstorm 文法

在暴風雪中跑出家門，

without being properly equipped with shoes

卻沒有妥當穿上鞋子

or socks,

或襪子。

we here at the Infographics Show

我們在 The Infographics Show 團隊，

believe in the vitality of mental health.

深信心理健康至關重要。

And if you or someone you know

如果你或你認識的人

struggles from anxiety or cognitive disturbance, 片語搭配

正在受焦慮或認知障礙的困擾，

you should seek help right away.

你應該立即尋求幫助。

Your mental health is as important as your physical health

你的心理健康與身體健康同樣重要，

and should be taken just as seriously.

應當受到同等的重視。

There's nothing shameful about receiving help, 文法

接受幫助並沒有什麼可恥的，

and we strongly encourage it.

我們強烈建議大家這樣做。

The circumstances surrounding the death of Mario Moncada

圍繞 Mario Moncada 死亡的情況

are unfortunate and mysterious.

不幸且充滿謎團。

One can't help but wonder

人們不禁想知道，

what he must have experienced or felt

他必然經歷或感受到了什麼，

during his final hours.

在他生命的最後幾個小時裡。

Though grim,

儘管殘酷，

one can only hope that when he fell,

我們只能希望他跌倒時，

he landed on his head

是頭部著地

and died instantaneously,

並且當場斃命，

because at least that would have been a far better fate

因為這至少比他可能遭遇的其他命運

than what could have transpired against him. 用詞

要好得多。

Namely, 表達脈絡

也就是說，

being consumed by the fear

被恐懼吞噬，

and awareness of being trapped.

以及清醒地意識到自己被困住了。

Since the autopsy of his body

既然對他的屍檢

could not find an exact cause of death,

無法確定確切的死因，

there is no way to know for certain 片語搭配

也就無從確切知曉

what went on behind those coolers 片語動詞

在那些冷櫃後面到底發生了什麼，

during the time.

在那段時間裡。

All we know for sure 文法

我們唯一確知的是，

is that it went on under the noses 慣用語

這一切就發生在

of those working and shopping

那些在 No Frills Supermarket

at that No Frills Supermarket,

工作和購物的人們的眼皮底下，

and this is a grisly reality

這是一個令人毛骨悚然的殘酷現實，

that won't soon be forgotten.

短期內不會被遺忘。

How do you feel about this story?

你對這個故事有什麼感覺？

Why do you think

你認為為什麼

no one thought to look behind the coolers

沒任何人想到要去冷櫃後面查看

for 10 years?

整整 10 年的時間？

Let us know in the comments.

請在留言區告訴我們。

Also,

此外，

be sure to check out our other video.

一定要看看我們的其他影片：

These missing people were mysteriously found alive.

《這些失蹤者離奇生還》。

Thanks for watching.

感謝收看。

And as always,

和往常一樣，

don't forget to like,

別忘了按讚、

share,

分享、

and subscribe.

並訂閱。

See you next time.

我們下期再見。