又中又英 | Smell Test | 褚簡寧

　　Did America's B-2 bombers obliterate Iran's Fordow nuclear facility two weeks ago? The nuclear facility is buried deep under a mountain, making it hard to destroy. But US President Donald Trump said the bunker-busting bombs of the B-2 warplanes went through the mountain like it was butter, obliterating the nuclear plant. To obliterate something means to destroy it. The word “bunker” used this way means an underground shelter with strong walls to protect people from bombs. To bust something means to break it with force. A bunker-busting bomb is a powerful bomb that can destroy bunkers.

　　Within days of Trump’s claim that bunker-busting bombs had obliterated Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, US media reports said an initial assessment by American intelligence showed the facility was only partially destroyed. Trump’s critics used these reports to attack him by saying his claims of obliteration did not pass the smell test. The expression "smell test" can be used in several ways. If I cook dinner and put what I cannot finish in the fridge for a few days, I always give it the smell test before I re-heat and eat it.

　　This means I will smell the food first. If it smells bad, I will throw it away. That is the smell test. But a smell test can also mean an informal method or feeling to decide if something is believable or credible. Trump's critics said the initial intelligence assessment showed his claim of obliteration did not pass the smell test. My own smell test is an initial assessment is just initial. It takes time to know if the bunker-busting bombs went through the Fordow mountain like it was butter. I will give it another smell test when there is new information.

　　兩星期前美國的B-2轟炸機是否已摧毁（obliterate）伊朗福爾多核設施？那些核設施埋藏於一座山底下的深處，令它難於被破壞。但美國總統特朗普說，B-2戰機的「碉堡剋星」炸彈（bunker-busting bombs）猶如穿透牛油一樣穿越下去，摧毁（obliterating）了核設施。To obliterate something是指去摧毁、清除某事物。Bunker在這裏是指有堅固牆壁的地下掩體，用來保護人們免受炸彈襲擊。To bust something是指用武力去粉碎、摧毁某物。A bunker-busting bomb就是一個能破壞地堡（bunkers）的強大炸彈。

　　在特朗普聲稱碉堡剋星炸彈（bunker-busting bombs）已摧毁（obliterated）伊朗福爾多核設施的數天內，美國傳媒報道指，美國智庫一個初步評估顯示，設施只是有部分被毁壞。批評特朗普的人用這些報告攻擊他，說他斷言已清除（obliteration）設施，並不能通過氣味測試（smell test）。習語smell test可以有幾種用法。如果我煮晚餐，將吃不完的剩菜放進雪櫃數天，我拿來加熱和進食前，就總會來個氣味測試（smell test）。

　　這裏的意思是我會先嗅一嗅食物，如果它聞起來像變壞了，我就會丟掉它。那就是smell test。但a smell test也可以解作用非正規的方法或感覺去決定某事情是否可信。批評特朗普的人說，他所聲稱的摧毁（obliteration）並不能通過氣味測試（smell test）。我自己的氣味測試（smell test）則認為，初步評估只是初步的。到底碉堡剋星炸彈（bunker-busting bombs）是否像穿過牛油般穿越了福爾多的山，我們還需要時間去了解。當有最新資訊的時候，我會再來一次氣味測試（smell test）。

[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻