英国的炸鱼薯条或许将消亡(上)

一辆卡车满载着当季第一批新鲜土豆，沿苏格兰东海岸行驶着。

双语精读

One summer ago, before the region's fish and chip industry was shaken by closures, before a death that was hard for people to bear, a lorry heaped with the first fresh potatoes of the season drove along the east coast of Scotland.

去年夏天之前，这个地区的炸鱼薯条产业尚未因大批店铺关闭而受到震荡，也尚未出现那场令人们无法释怀的死亡事件，一辆卡车满载着当季第一批新鲜土豆，沿苏格兰东海岸行驶着。

This lorry wound its way along the East Neuk of Fife, dodging washing lines, mooring bollards and seagulls, parking with impunity to make deliveries.

这辆卡车在法夫的东纽克蜿蜒前行，一路避开晾衣绳、系船柱和海鸥，送货时随便找个地方就停车，不用害怕罚款。

There was an understanding in the East Neuk that nobody would ever get angry and honk at the inbound "tattie" lorry, fish and chips being a staple meal, vital to the region's economy. Tourists come shocking distances to sit on old harbour walls and stab around in takeaway trays with wooden forks.

东纽克的人们都知道，没有人会对进入小镇的"土豆"卡车发火或按喇叭，因为炸鱼薯条是当地的主食，对该地区的经济至关重要。游客们不远万里来到这里，坐在古老的海港围墙上，用木叉在外卖盘子里戳炸鱼薯条吃。

The fish and chips sold in the East Neuk might be the best in the British Isles and because of that (it follows) the best on the planet. Even so, by July 2022, local friers were finding it harder and harder to balance their books.

东纽克卖的炸鱼薯条可能是不列颠群岛上最好吃的炸鱼薯条，因此也是地球上最好吃的炸鱼薯条。即便如此，到2022年7月，当地炸鱼薯条店主发现越来越难实现收支平衡。

The driver of the tattie lorry, a red-cheeked Scotsman named Richard Murray, carried keys for most of the businesses on his route, to save from waking any tired friers who'd been up late the night before, poring anxiously over their sums.

这辆土豆卡车的司机名叫理查德·默里，是一位脸颊红红的苏格兰人，他带着路上经过的大多数店铺的钥匙，以免敲门吵醒疲惫的店主，这些店主在前一晚都熬了夜，焦虑不安地仔细计算着账面金额。

War in Ukraine coupled with ongoing complications from Brexit had driven up prices of almost all the goods that fish and chip shops depended on, from live ingredients to oil and salt to packaging.

乌克兰战争，加上英国脱欧带来的持续复杂局面，推高了炸鱼薯条店所依赖的几乎所有商品的价格，从生鲜食材，到油、盐和包装盒。

More distressing was the problem of rising energy costs. This meal is prepared using a great guzzler of a range cooker that must be kept on and roiling at all hours of a trading day.

更令人苦恼的是能源价格上涨。做炸鱼薯条需要用到非常耗天然气的炉灶，在做生意时炉灶一整天都得开着，保持油锅翻滚。

As the price of gas and electricity threatened to double, then triple, through 2022, friers were opening their energy bills with gritted teeth.

2022年，由于天然气和电的价格可能会增加一倍甚至两倍，店主们拿到能源账单时都是咬着牙打开。

A trade association called the National Federation of Fish Friers said that as many as a third of the UK's 10,500 shops might go dark, warning of a potential "extinction event".

一个名为"全国炸鱼店主联合会"的行业协会表示，英国10 500家炸鱼店中，多达三分之一的商店可能会关门歇业，并警告称这可能是一场"灭绝事件"。

It was about 8 a.m. when Murray drove his tattie lorry into a village called Pittenweem. He was met on the road by Alec Wyse, a skilled frier, 59 years old and known as Eck, who ran a takeaway called the Pittenweem Fish Bar.

大约早上8点，默里开着他那辆土豆卡车进入了一个叫皮滕威姆的村庄。他在路上遇到了亚历克·威斯。威斯今年59岁，是一位手艺不错的炸鱼店主，绰号叫艾克，经营着一家名为"皮滕威姆炸鱼吧"的外卖店。

词汇预习

• economy [高考]

  美[ɪˈkɑːnəmi] | 英[ɪˈkɒnəmi]

  n. 经济；节约 adj. 经济的；廉价的

• region [高考]

  美[ˈriːdʒən] | 英[ˈriːdʒən]

  n. 地区；范围；领域；地带；地域

• anxiously [高考]

  美[ˈæŋkʃəslɪ] | 英['æŋkʃəslɪ]

  adv. 焦急地；忧虑地；担心地

• skilled [高考]

  美[skɪld] | 英[skɪld]

  adj. 有技能的；熟练的

• extinction [高考]

  美[ɪkˈstɪŋkʃn] | 英[ɪkˈstɪŋkʃn]

  n. 消失；消减；废止

• potential [高考]

  美[pəˈtenʃl] | 英[pəˈtenʃl]

  adj. 潜在的；可能的 n. 潜力；潜能 n. 电位；电势

• range [高考]

  美[reɪndʒ] | 英[reɪndʒ]

  n.范围; 射程; 类别; （山脉，房屋等的）排列 vi.搜索; 变化; 延伸; 漫游 vt.排列; （按一定位置或顺序）排序; 把…分类; 徘徊 adj.牧场的，放牧区的

• vital [高考]

  美[ˈvaɪtl] | 英[ˈvaɪtl]

  adj. 至关重要的；有活力的；生死攸关的

• lorry [高考]

  美[ˈlɔːri] | 英[ˈlɒri]

  n. 卡车

• harbour [高考]

  美[ˈhɑːrbər] | 英[ˈhɑːbə(r)]

  n. 港口；避难所 vt. 庇护；心怀；窝藏 vi. 进入避祸所；躲藏

• finding [高考]

  美[ˈfaɪndɪŋ] | 英[ˈfaɪndɪŋ]

  n. 调查(或研究)的结果；[律] 裁决

• warning [高考]

  美[ˈwɔːrnɪŋ] | 英[ˈwɔːnɪŋ]

  n. 警告；警报；预兆 adj. 警告的；告诫的

• parking [高考]

  美[ˈpɑːrkɪŋ] | 英[ˈpɑːkɪŋ]

  n. 停车，泊车；停车场，停车位 v. 存放，寄存；停车(park的ing形式)

• ongoing [高考]

  美[ˈɑːnɡoʊɪŋ] | 英[ˈɒnɡəʊɪŋ]

  adj. 进行的；不断发展的

• stab [高考]

  美[stæb] | 英[stæb]

  v. 刺；戳；刺伤 n. 刺；戳；刺痛；尝试

• staple [高考]

  美[ˈsteɪpl] | 英[ˈsteɪpl]

  adj. (食物、产品或活动)主要的，基本的 n. 主要部分，重要内容；订书钉 vt. 用订书机装订；把…分级

• would [高考]

  美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]

  aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式

• sit on [四级]

  美[sit ɑn] | 英[sit ɔn]

  v. 搁置；参加；旁听；列席；训斥

• on the road [四级]

  美[ɑn ði rəʊd] | 英[ɔn ðə roʊd]

  在旅途中

• triple [四级]

  美[ˈtrɪpl] | 英[ˈtrɪpl]

  adj. 三部分的；三人的；三组的；三倍的 v. 成为三倍；使增至三倍 n. 三倍的数[量]；三个一组；【棒】三垒打

• vital to [六级]

  美 | 英

  adj. 所不可缺少的对

• honk [专八]

  美[hɑŋk] | 英[hɒŋk]

  n. 汽车喇叭声；雁叫声 v. （使）雁叫；鸣(汽车喇叭)

重点讲解

One summer ago, before the region's fish and chip industry was shaken by closures, before a death that was hard for people to bear, a lorry heaped with the first fresh potatoes of the season drove along the east coast of Scotland.

去年夏天之前，这个地区的炸鱼薯条产业尚未因大批店铺关闭而受到震荡，也尚未出现那场令人们无法释怀的死亡事件，一辆卡车满载着当季第一批新鲜土豆，沿苏格兰东海岸行驶着。

shake  v.

1. 使震惊；使不安

【例】He was badly shaken by the news of her death. 

听到她的死讯，他大为震惊。

2. 动摇；削弱

【例】to shake the confidence/evidence  动摇信心/削弱证据的说服力

This lorry wound its way along the East Neuk of Fife, dodging washing lines, mooring bollards and seagulls, parking with impunity to make deliveries.

这辆卡车在法夫的东纽克蜿蜒前行，一路避开晾衣绳、系船柱和海鸥，送货时随便找个地方就停车，不用害怕罚款。

dodge   v. 

1. 闪开；躲开

【例】to dodge behind a tree/to dodge a bullet

闪开躲到树后/躲过子弹（躲过危险）

【近义词】duck  v. 躲闪；躲避

2. （不诚实地）逃避

【例】to dodge a question/paying taxes

回避一个问题/逃税

with impunity  不受惩罚地

【例】break laws with impunity 犯法而不受惩罚

There was an understanding in the East Neuk that nobody would ever get angry and honk at the inbound "tattie" lorry, fish and chips being a staple meal, vital to the region's economy. Tourists come shocking distances to sit on old harbour walls and stab around in takeaway trays with wooden forks.

东纽克的人们都知道，没有人会对进入小镇的"土豆"卡车发火或按喇叭，因为炸鱼薯条是当地的主食，对该地区的经济至关重要。游客们不远万里来到这里，坐在古老的海港围墙上，用木叉在外卖盘子里戳炸鱼薯条吃。

inbound  adj. 入境的；入站的

【例】inbound tourists 入境游客

【反义词】outbound  adj. 出境的

【拓展】be bound for  前往（某个地方）

The fish and chips sold in the East Neuk might be the best in the British Isles and because of that (it follows) the best on the planet. Even so, by July 2022, local friers were finding it harder and harder to balance their books.

东纽克卖的炸鱼薯条可能是不列颠群岛上最好吃的炸鱼薯条，因此也是地球上最好吃的炸鱼薯条。即便如此，到2022年7月，当地炸鱼薯条店主发现越来越难实现收支平衡。

it follows (that)  由此可推理出；是必然结果

【例】If a equals b and b equals c, it follows that a equals c. 

设 a = b，b = c，则 a = c。

balance  v.

1. 使保持平衡

【例】balance a book on one's head 让书本在头顶上保持平衡不落下

2. 相抵；使相称；结平

【例】This year's profits will balance our previous losses. 

本年度的赢利可弥补我们之前的亏损。

to balance the account  结平账户；收支相抵

【拓展】be in the red/be in the black 有亏损/有结余

save (sb) from doing  避免出现（不愉快的事）

【例】If you phone for an appointment, it'll save you from waiting. 

如果打电话预约，你就免得等了。

pore over  仔细研究；认真阅读

【例】His lawyers are poring over the small print in the contract. 

他的律师们正在仔细审阅合同上的小号字。

The driver of the tattie lorry, a red-cheeked Scotsman named Richard Murray, carried keys for most of the businesses on his route, to save from waking any tired friers who'd been up late the night before, poring anxiously over their sums.

这辆土豆卡车的司机名叫理查德·默里，是一位脸颊红红的苏格兰人，他带着路上经过的大多数店铺的钥匙，以免敲门吵醒疲惫的店主，这些店主在前一晚都熬了夜，焦虑不安地仔细计算着账面金额。

it follows (that)  由此可推理出；是必然结果

【例】If a equals b and b equals c, it follows that a equals c. 

设 a = b，b = c，则 a = c。

balance  v.

1. 使保持平衡

【例】balance a book on one's head 让书本在头顶上保持平衡不落下

2. 相抵；使相称；结平

【例】This year's profits will balance our previous losses. 

本年度的赢利可弥补我们之前的亏损。

to balance the account  结平账户；收支相抵

【拓展】be in the red/be in the black 有亏损/有结余

save (sb) from doing  避免出现（不愉快的事）

【例】If you phone for an appointment, it'll save you from waiting. 

如果打电话预约，你就免得等了。

pore over  仔细研究；认真阅读

【例】His lawyers are poring over the small print in the contract. 

他的律师们正在仔细审阅合同上的小号字。

War in Ukraine coupled with ongoing complications from Brexit had driven up prices of almost all the goods that fish and chip shops depended on, from live ingredients to oil and salt to packaging.

乌克兰战争，加上英国脱欧带来的持续复杂局面，推高了炸鱼薯条店所依赖的几乎所有商品的价格，从生鲜食材，到油、盐和包装盒。

be coupled with  加上；与……结合

【例】His energy and intelligence, coupled with her skill and patience, overcame all difficulties. 

他的精力和智慧, 配上她的技术和耐性, 克服了重重困难。

【近义词】be combined with  与……结合

More distressing was the problem of rising energy costs. This meal is prepared using a great guzzler of a range cooker that must be kept on and roiling at all hours of a trading day.

更令人苦恼的是能源价格上涨。做炸鱼薯条需要用到非常耗天然气的炉灶，在做生意时炉灶一整天都得开着，保持油锅翻滚。

be coupled with  加上；与……结合

【例】His energy and intelligence, coupled with her skill and patience, overcame all difficulties. 

他的精力和智慧, 配上她的技术和耐性, 克服了重重困难。

【近义词】be combined with  与……结合

As the price of gas and electricity threatened to double, then triple, through 2022, friers were opening their energy bills with gritted teeth.

2022年，由于天然气和电的价格可能会增加一倍甚至两倍，店主们拿到能源账单时都是咬着牙打开。

grit your teeth  （下决心或发怒）咬紧牙关；咬牙切齿

【例】She gritted her teeth and plunged into the cold water. 

她咬咬牙一头扎进冷水中去。

【拓展】grit  n. 坚毅；毅力

【例】a man of grit 一个有毅力的人

go dark  关门；停业

【例】In the wake of the attacks, TV networks went dark.

袭击发生之后，电视停播了。

【拓展】keep sth dark 对某事保密

【例】He kept his identity dark. 

他对自己的身份保密。

A trade association called the National Federation of Fish Friers said that as many as a third of the UK's 10,500 shops might go dark, warning of a potential "extinction event".

一个名为"全国炸鱼店主联合会"的行业协会表示，英国10 500家炸鱼店中，多达三分之一的商店可能会关门歇业，并警告称这可能是一场"灭绝事件"。

grit your teeth  （下决心或发怒）咬紧牙关；咬牙切齿

【例】She gritted her teeth and plunged into the cold water. 

她咬咬牙一头扎进冷水中去。

【拓展】grit  n. 坚毅；毅力

【例】a man of grit 一个有毅力的人

go dark  关门；停业

【例】In the wake of the attacks, TV networks went dark.

袭击发生之后，电视停播了。

【拓展】keep sth dark 对某事保密

【例】He kept his identity dark. 

他对自己的身份保密。

It**** was about 8 a.m.**** when**** Murray**** drove his tattie**** lorry into**** a village called**** Pittenweem****.**** He**** was met on**** the road**** by**** Alec**** Wyse****,**** a skilled frier,**** 59**** years old and known as**** Eck,**** who ran a takeaway**** called**** the Pittenweem**** Fish**** Bar.****

大约早上8点，默里开着他那辆土豆卡车进入了一个叫皮滕威姆的村庄。他在路上遇到了亚历克·威斯。威斯今年59岁，是一位手艺不错的炸鱼店主，绰号叫艾克，经营着一家名为"皮滕威姆炸鱼吧"的外卖店。

课后练习

• What can be learned about the East Neuk of Fife?Its overall economy is in a bad shape. It is a hub of Scotland’s railway line. Its traffic rules are not strict. It features the best fish and chips.

  A. Its overall economy is in a bad shape.

  B. It is a hub of Scotland’s railway line.

  C. Its traffic rules are not strict.

  D. It features the best fish and chips.

• Local friers are faced with the problem of ____.

  A. insufficient supply of potatoes

  B. the decline of tourists

  C. the heavy taxes

  D. the fall in profits

• The most prominent cause of the friers’ trouble is ____.

  A. the expensive transportation fees

  B. the high energy prices

  C. the inefficient cooker

  D. the unstable gas supply

• The National Federation of Fish Friers warned that ____.

  A. fish and chips might lose its popularity

  B. many fish and chips shops might go broke

  C. some fish species might be extinct

  D. local friers might leave the East Neuk of Fife