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The Military Draft: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Wants You 当兵去：国家需要你！

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Mike, visiting from America, is staying at his friend Da Ming’s Taipei home:  美国来的迈克，到台北拜访他的朋友大明，就住在大明家里：

M: Thanks again for letting me stay at your place. A hotel would have been super expensive.

再次感谢你让我住你家里，住旅馆可真是贵得多了。

D: No problem. Actually, your timing’s good: in a month, I have to register for the military draft. I might have to give up my apartment after that.

没问题。不过实际上你来的时间正巧：再一个月我就要报到去当兵，届时我可能就不再住这间公寓了。

M: What’s the deal? I had to register for the U.S. Selective Service when I turned eighteen, but no one’s been drafted since 1973.

有什么大不了的？在美国我满18岁时，也必须向美国义务兵役站报到，不过自从1973年以来就没有人真正当过兵了。

D: It’s different here. In Taiwan, every male over nineteen had to do two years of mandatory military service. So, sooner or later, I’ll definitely get drafted.

我们这边的做法不同。在台湾每位年满19岁男性都必须服两年的义务役。所以迟早我都是要去当兵的。

M: But you’re twenty-three. How come you haven’t been drafted yet?

但是你已经23岁了。怎么一直都还没有被征去当兵呢？

D: Well, my service has been deferred for the past four years because I’ve been in college. But now that I’m graduating, it’s time for me to “do my duty.”

过去四年因为我在读大学，所以缓征。现在因为我已经毕业，所以该是我要尽义务的时候了。

M: Maybe military service isn’t so bad; many Americans acquire solid vocational and professional training in the military. Is it the same here in Taiwan?

或许去当兵也不错，很多美国人在当兵期间获得了职业训练、或学到一技之长。在台湾也是这样吗？

D: Regular military draftees don’t receive special job training as, for example, an ambulance attendant. Of course, both regular draftees and those in alternative service go through “boot camp” training.

一般役男并不接受别的职业训练，但是你可以申请服替代役，有机会接受特别训练，譬如救护车的随护兵这种训练。不过无论一般役男或替代役男都要经过新兵训练中心的洗礼。

【注】：标题取材于美国在第一次与第二次世界大战时的募兵海报标语：山姆大叔需要你！“Uncle Sam Wants You!”

Vocabulary

单词发音

draft [dræft] n.【美】征兵，征集

mandatory [ˋmændə͵torɪ] adj. 义务的；强制的

defer [dɪˋfɝ] v.【美】使缓期服役

solid [ˋsɑlɪd] adj. 完整的，完全的

vocational [voˋkeʃən!] adj. 职业的

draftee [dræfˋti] n. 被征召入伍者

ambulance [ˋæmbjələns] n. 救护车

boot camp【美】【军】训练新兵之营地

Sentence of the Day

It's only a matter of time....

只是时间早晚而已....

课文讲解

Mike and Da Ming continue to discuss the draft:  迈克和大明两人继续讨论有关征兵的话题：

M: So, instead of regular military duty, you can do other types of work for the government?

所以说，倘若不是服兵役，你可以替国家服别种义务役？

D: Exactly. With my environmental science degree, I’m applying for an environmental protection job. However, there’s a catch: I would have to serve two months longer than regular military draftees, but I get a bonus depending on where I’m stationed.

对。以我的环保科技文凭，我正在申请与环保有关的工作项目。不过有额外要求：我的役期会比一般役男多两个月，但是我可以拿年终红利，看我被分配到哪个单位而定。

M: Two months isn’t a long time. Besides, you’ll get two years of work experience. What would your bonus be?

两个月时间不算太长。再说你可以得到两年工作经验。你的红和怎么算？

D: It would depend on where I’m stationed. There are regional bonuses for those stationed on the main island, on one of Taiwan’s islets, or in high-mountain areas.

要看我被分配到哪个单位而定。派驻台湾本岛、离岛、或是高山地区的官兵有不同的地区加给。

M: Say, I just remembered: your cousin holds both Taiwan and U.S. passports. Does he know he still has to register for the U.S. Selective Service?

嘿，我想起你的堂兄同时拥有本国和美国两种护照。他是否晓得他仍然必须向美国义务兵役站报到？

D: I don’t know, but I’ll be sure to remind him. Does he have to register even if he resides in Taiwan?

我不清楚，不过我一定提醒他这件事。即使他居住在台湾，还是得向美国兵役单位报到吗？

M: Absolutely. Any U.S. male citizen between eighteen and twenty-five has to register, even those with multiple passports.

当然。所有介于18岁和25岁之间的美国男性公民都必须注册报到，即使拥有多重国籍身份者亦然。

D: I can’t wait to see his face! Two armies tugging at him from either side of the world! Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

我等不及想看他脸上的表情！地球两头的两国军队都在拉他，这可真是进退两难。

－by Alex Adair

Vocabulary

单词发音

apply for 申请, 请求

catch [kætʃ] n.【口】圈套；隐藏的困难

bonus [ˋbonəs] n. 额外津贴；特别补助

station [ˋsteʃən] v. 驻扎，部署

islet [ˋaɪlɪt] n. 小岛

reside [rɪˋzaɪd] v. 住，居住；驻在

tug [tʌg] v. 用力拉（或拖）[（+at）]

between a rock and a hard place 进退维谷，左右为难  a dilemma; a situation offering at least two possibilities, none of which are acceptable

Sentence of the Day

You've got to pay your dues.

你必须在批评之后再说些好话。

pay one’s dues  还账