又中又英 | Reflecting Pool | 褚簡寧

　　Not many Hong Kong people will be familiar with the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC. Hong Kong tourists prefer places like New York City and Los Angeles. I know the Reflecting Pool like the back of my hand because I worked as a journalist in Washington DC during the 1990s. To know something like the back of your hand means to know it very well. My family and I often went to the Reflecting Pool and other nearby sites, such as the Smithsonian Museums. The Reflecting Pool, built in 1922, is 2,028 feet long and 167 feet wide.

　　It reflects the Lincoln Memorial at one end and the Washington Monument at the other. Its shallow water causes algae, which requires cleaning. President Donald Trump ordered the Pool's upgrade for it to look spick and span for America's 250th anniversary last month. To be spick and span means to be totally clean. Trump wanted to coat the Pool's grey floor with an American-flag blue colour. The National Park Service bypassed bidding and awarded the US$14 million contract to a firm whose owner has donated money to Trump. The Pool's blue coating soon began peeling off. The algae also returned.

　　Trump blamed vandals. Washington DC's US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who Trump appointed, charged a former US Olympics canoeist with damaging the Pool's lining after he touched a loose piece of the lining. Pirro infuriated Trump last week by dropping charges after an investigation showed the contractor had botched the upgrade. To botch something means to do a job badly. Trump insisted vandals had damaged the Pool and scolded Pirro for folding like an umbrella. People fold umbrellas after use, but the word "fold" also means to give up or stop doing something. Poker players fold when they have lousy cards.

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　　並非很多香港人熟知華盛頓特區的倒影池。香港遊客偏好去紐約市和洛杉磯這些地方。我知道倒影池like the back of my hand，因我在1990年代期間於華盛頓特區當新聞工作者。To know something like the back of your hand是指你對某事物瞭如指掌。我和我的家人當年常去倒影池和附近的景點，例如史密森尼學會的眾多博物館。倒影池建於1922年，長2028呎，闊167呎。

　　倒影池的一端反照出林肯紀念堂，另一端則反照華盛頓紀念碑。它的淺水會導致藻類滋生，因此需要清理。總統特朗普之前下令翻新倒影池，以在下月美國建國250周年時看來spick and span－－to be spick and span是指極為乾淨整潔。特朗普想將灰色的池底漆成美國國旗的藍色。國家公園局繞過招標程序，直接將價值1400萬美元的合約給了一間公司，該公司東主曾捐款給特朗普。池底的藍色漆很快便剝落，藻類又再滋生。

　　特朗普歸咎於有人蓄意破壞。特朗普所任命，華盛頓特區的聯邦檢察官珍妮．皮羅落案起訴前美國奧運划艇運動員，指控他觸摸鬆脫的塗層，毁壞了池的襯層。在調查顯示承辦商拙劣地修補（botched）池底後，皮羅最終撤控，激怒了特朗普。To botch something是指拙劣地修補或搞砸一件事情。特朗普堅持是人為破壞導致倒影池損毁，斥責皮羅folding like an umbrella。人們用過雨傘後會將其摺起（fold），但fold一字也可解作放棄或停止做某事。撲克牌玩家收到爛牌時，就會棄牌（fold）。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻