困於卡賈基雷區陷阱的士兵們：英語精讀講義

On September 6, 2006,

2006年9月6日，

British paratroopers were on a routine patrol in the Helmand province of Afghanistan,

英國傘兵在阿富汗赫爾曼德省進行例行巡邏，

at the time one of the most dangerous places to be during NATO's war on terror. 文法

這裡在當時是北約反恐戰爭中最危險的地區之一。

What started out as an unexpectedly calm and uneventful day 表達脈絡

原本這只是平常而意外平靜的一天，

amidst the chaos of war

在這戰爭的混亂之中，

would soon turn into a nightmare

卻很快變成了一場噩夢，

that would see one young soldier dead,

導致一名年輕士兵死亡，

seven seriously injured,

七人重傷，

and three losing limbs.

以及三人失去肢體。

What would come to be known as the day of days by the men who lived it 文法

這一天被親歷者們稱為「最難忘的一天」，

started out routine enough.

一開始卻顯得稀鬆平常。

A team of British paratroopers were deployed on a patrol

一隊英國傘兵被派去巡邏，

to provide security for the nearby village of Kajaki,

為附近的卡賈基村提供安全保障，

flush out insurgent forces, 片語動詞

清剿叛亂武裝，

and destroy any they discover.

並消滅發現的任何敵人。

Jumping over a dry riverbed,

在跳過乾涸的河床時，

Lance Corporal Stuart Hale set off an explosion, 片語動詞

準下士史都華·黑爾引發了爆炸，

and in shock

在震驚之中，

looked down to realize he was missing a finger

他低頭意識到自己少了一根手指

and part of his leg.

以及部分腿部。

The rest of the team immediately set off toward the stricken Hale, 片語動詞

隊伍的其他成員立即衝向受傷的黑爾，

but realizing they had potentially strayed into a minefield,

但意識到他們可能誤入了雷區，

they carefully started clearing a path, 片語搭配

於是開始小心翼翼地清理道路，

using knives and bayonets to prod for mines.

用刀和刺刀探尋地雷。

Once a path was cleared,

一旦清理出一條通道，

they gave morphine to Hale

他們就給黑爾注射嗎啡，

and applied a tourniquet to what remained of his leg. 片語搭配

並用止血帶綁住他殘破的腿。

The team immediately radioed for an emergency medical evacuation, 片語搭配

隊伍立即通過無線電請求緊急醫療後送，

but back at Camp Bastion,

但在隊伍的大本營

the team's home base,

堡壘營，

a lack of available aircraft by the British 文法

英軍缺乏可用直升機

meant that they had to ask their American and French allies,

意味著他們必須向美國和法國盟友求助，

a lengthy and bureaucratic process

這是一個漫長而官僚的過程，

that had to be relayed up the respective chains of command 文化背景

必須經過各自的指揮鏈層層上報

to grant approval.

才能獲得批准。

Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Tootal,

史都華·圖托中校，

a commander of the paratroopers stuck in the minefield,

受困雷區傘兵們的指揮官，

knew he had to make a choice.

知道自己必須做出選擇。

Wait hours for the men to clear the path out of the minefield

要麼等待數小時讓士兵們清理出撤離雷區的通道，

or send a Chinook.

要麼派出一架契努克直升機。

However,

然而，

with no winch equipment,

由於沒有絞盤設備，

the helicopter would risk landing on a mine itself. 文法

這架直升機本身也面臨降落在地雷上的風險。

Urgent requests for American Black Hawks with winches were dispatched,

他們緊急請求配備絞盤的美國黑鷹直升機支援，

even as the Chinook was ordered to rescue the men. 表達脈絡

同時也命令契努克去營救這些士兵。

The flight crew of the Chinook understood the risks to themselves and the aircraft,

契努克的機組人員深知自身和飛機的風險，

but made haste to the stricken men regardless. 用詞

但還是義無反顧地衝向受困士兵。

Back at the minefield,

回到雷區現場，

Sergeant Stuart Pearson stumbled onto the cleared path

史都華·皮爾森中士跌跌撞撞地走在清理好的小路上，

and set off another landmine,

卻觸發了另一枚地雷，

losing one of his legs as well.

也失去了一條腿。

It became apparent to the paratroopers 文法

傘兵們逐漸意識到，

that the minefield was more extensive than they thought

雷區的範圍比他們想像的要大得多，

and that any move could be their last. 慣用語

任何一步都可能是他們的最後一步。

Fearful of even more casualties,

害怕造成更多的傷亡，

Pearson applied his own tourniquet

皮爾森自己綁上了止血帶，

and gave himself an ampoule of morphine for the pain.

並給自己注射了一安瓿嗎啡來止痛。

The rest of the men were ordered to stay put and wait for rescue. 慣用語

其餘的人被命令留在原地等待救援。

Suddenly,

突然，

the dispatch Chinook appeared

派出的契努克直升機出現了，

and landed on its two back wheels.

並僅用兩個後輪著陸。

The pilots trying their best to limit

飛行員盡最大努力限制

how much contact the giant helicopter made with the ground.

這架巨大的直升機與地面的接觸面積。

As the pilot signaled to the men to clear a path to the chopper,

當飛行員向士兵們示意清理出一條通往直升機的通道時，

the soldiers shouted at them to take off. 片語動詞

士兵們卻大喊著讓他們起飛。

The downdraft of the powerful Chinook was tossing rocks around

強大的契努克產生的下衝氣流將石頭吹得亂飛，

and threatening to set off even more mines.

隨時可能引爆更多地雷。

Unfortunately,

不幸的是，

a stray rock did just that, 表達脈絡

一塊飛石正是如此，

setting off one more mine

引爆了另一枚地雷，

and hitting Corporal Mark Wright with shrapnel in the face,

彈片擊中了馬克·萊特下士的臉部、

chest,

胸部、

arms,

手臂，

and neck.

和頸部。

Next to him,

在他旁邊，

a medic was struck in the chest and also down.

一名軍醫也被擊中胸部倒下。

Despite Corporal Wright's injuries, however,

儘管萊特下士傷勢嚴重，

he continued to give first aid to everyone he could reach. 片語搭配

他仍繼續為每一個夠得著的人進行急救。

Realizing that they were only making the situation worse,

意識到他們只是在讓情況變得更糟，

the Chinook pilots aborted the rescue attempt 片語搭配

契努克飛行員放棄了營救嘗試

and headed back to base,

並掉頭返回基地，

where Lieutenant Colonel Tootal,

在那裡，圖托中校

listening in horror over the radio as his men were cut to ribbons, 慣用語

在無線電中驚恐地聽著他的士兵被炸得血肉模糊，

finally had the American Black Hawks he requested.

終於等到了他請求的美國黑鷹直升機。

These choppers were equipped with winches, 片語搭配

這些直升機裝備了絞盤，

which they could lower to the stricken men and hoist up,

可以將其降下並吊起受困士兵，

avoiding setting off more mines.

從而避免引爆更多的地雷。

Back at the minefield,

回到雷區現場，

Corporal Paul Hartley began using his medical rucksack

保羅·哈特利下士開始利用他的醫療背包

to clear a path to the wounded

為傷員清理出一條通道，

by throwing it in front of him,

他把背包扔在自己身前，

hoping to set off any mines.

希望藉此引爆任何地雷。

Reaching the seriously injured Corporal Wright,

當靠近重傷的萊特下士時，

a man nearby,

旁邊的一名士兵，

Fusilier Andy Barlow,

步槍兵安迪·巴洛，

stepped back just a few inches to make room.

為了騰出空間向後退了幾英寸。

A mine exploded under his foot,

一枚地雷在他腳下爆炸，

and he too would lose his leg.

他也因此失去了一條腿。

The men fearful of moving even a single inch

戰士們連一英寸都不敢動，

were forced to tend to their own wounds

被迫只能自行處理傷口，

as best they could, 片語搭配

盡其所能，

struggling to remain conscious through blood loss

在失血的情況下努力保持清醒，

and to handle the pain now that the morphine had run dry. 慣用語

並在嗎啡用盡後忍受劇痛。

Corporal Wright,

萊特下士，

the most seriously injured,

傷勢最重的人，

remained conscious the entire time

全程保持清醒

and in command of the incident,

並指揮著現場，

encouraging the men and maintaining morale and calm.

鼓勵士兵們並維持著士氣與冷靜。

The men did their best to keep their spirits up 慣用語

士兵們盡最大努力保持精神狀態，

and not slip into deadly shock

避免陷入致命的休克，

by talking about family and girlfriends,

他們談論著家人和女友，

encouraging each other the best they could.

竭盡所能互相鼓勵。

After what seemed like an impossibly long wait, 文法

經過一段似乎無比漫長的等待後，

the American Black Hawks finally arrived

美國的黑鷹直升機終於抵達，

and began hoisting their wounded allies up one by one. 片語搭配

開始將受傷的盟軍逐一吊起。

Corporal Wright remained conscious for part of the flight back to base,

萊特下士在飛回基地的前半段航程中保持著清醒，

but despite the best efforts of the American medic, 片語搭配

儘管美國軍醫全力搶救，

died of his wounds. 片語搭配

他還是因傷勢過重而犧牲。

With his fellow soldiers being treated by medics 文法

隨著他的戰友們接受了軍醫治療

and safely on their way back home,

並安全踏上回家之路，

however, his duty was done.

他的使命也終於完成。

For his courage and gallantry,

因為他的無畏與英勇，

he would be awarded the George Cross, 文化背景

他被追授喬治十字勳章，

the British military's highest honor,

這是英國軍方的最高榮譽，

and mourned by his fiancee and the nation both.

他的未婚妻與整個國家都為之哀悼。

Perhaps most tragically of all, 表達脈絡

也許最令人悲痛的，

however, is the fact that the mines

是這樣一個事實：

those British paratroopers had inadvertently stumbled into

這些英國傘兵們無意中踩到的地雷，

had not been planted by the Taliban or other insurgents.

並非塔利班或其他叛亂分子埋設。

They were Soviet-made mines planted over 30 years ago 文化背景

它們是30多年前埋下的蘇製地雷，

and forgotten years after the Cold War had ended.

並在冷戰結束後被遺忘多年。

The Russians inadvertently inflicted the only military casualties of the conflict

俄羅斯人無意中對他們昔日的敵人，

on their once enemies.

造成了這場衝突中唯一的軍事傷亡。

Yet mines have been used by militaries all over the world

然而，世界各地的軍隊都曾使用地雷，

and almost always simply forgotten after a conflict,

且幾乎總是在衝突後將其拋之腦後，

claiming lives for decades after their planting. 文法

在埋設後的數十年裡持續奪走生命。

In countries around the world,

在世界各國，

one in five landmine victims are children, 文法

五分之一的地雷受害者是兒童，

and an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people

據估計有1.5萬到2萬人

are killed or maimed by landmines each year. 用詞

每年因地雷喪生或致殘。

With their express intent to maim and not kill, 用詞

由於地雷的明確意圖是致殘而非致死，

landmines are the single most immoral weapon of war,

它們是戰爭中最不道德的單一武器，

and thankfully international outrage has led to the UN's 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, 講解

值得慶幸的是，國際社會的憤慨促成了聯合國1997年的《禁止使用、

Stockpiling, Production,

儲存、生產

and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines.

和轉讓殺傷人員地雷公約》。

To date, 片語搭配

迄今為止，

150 nations have joined the treaty,

已有150個國家加入了該條約，

though sadly it's estimated that millions of mines remain buried and forgotten, 文法

但令人悲哀的是，據估計仍有數以百萬計的地雷被埋藏和遺忘，

waiting for their next victim. 慣用語

等待著下一個受害者。

Should weapons expressly made to maim and not kill 文法

這種專門用來致殘而非致死的武器，

be legal for use in war?

在戰爭中究竟是否應該合法？

How would you get out of an active minefield?

你會如何逃離一片活躍的雷區？

And if you liked the video,

如果你喜歡這個影片，

make sure you check out Battle of Thermopylae:

請務必觀看《溫泉關戰役：

Spartans versus Persians.

斯巴達人對陣波斯人》。

As always,

像往常一樣，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

別忘了按讚、分享和訂閱。

See you next time.

下次見。