又中又英——Those were gut-wrenching days.

　　Hong Kong went through a trying time during the Sars outbreak in 2003. Those were gut-wrenching days. I had just returned to Hong Kong from the US to start a new job as head of a news department. People were dying on the mainland and in Hong Kong. I was torn between returning to the US and sticking it out here. I decided to stick it out here because Hong Kong people stuck together as a community to overcome Sars. They did not fight for rice, toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and other things. There was no price-gouging of facemasks by shops. And supermarkets did not price-gouge. Even though Sars was a killer disease, it brought out the best in Hong Kong people.
　　The new coronavirus is less of a killer disease than Sars but it has brought out the worst in Hong Kong people. Some people bought far more toilet paper, rice, facemasks, and hand sanitizers than they need, making it impossible for others to buy them. Greedy shop owners are price-gouging facemasks. Supermarkets have taken advantage of the panic caused by the coronavirus to price-gouge not only hand sanitizers but also milk, canned foods, and other things. The expression "trying time" means a difficult time. If something is "gut-wrenching", it means it makes people feel upset or worried. If you are "torn between" two things, it means you find it difficult to choose between the two.
　　To "stick it out" means to continue to the end of something that is difficult. To "stick together" means to support and help each other. To "price gouge", as I have explained before, means to charge customers too much for something. Major supermarkets, which should be sticking together with the people during these trying times, are price-gouging instead. One well-known supermarket chain I went to a few days ago was charging almost twice the normal price for a bottle of hand sanitizer. It was also charging far more for skimmed milk, canned soups, and frozen foods. Why is the Consumer Council not doing anything?
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　　香港二○○三年沙士爆发时，经历了艰难的时刻（trying time）。那真是撕心裂肺（gut-wrenching）的日子。当时我刚刚从美国回流香港，开始新的工作，担任一个新闻部门的主管。在内地和香港陆续有人死亡。我左右为难（torn between），不知该回去美国，抑或在这儿挺下去（sticking it out）才好。我最终选择了在这儿坚持下去（stick it out），因为香港人团结一致（stuck together），整个社群共同战胜沙士。他们没有抢米、厕纸、酒精搓手液或其他东西；商店也没有坐地起价（price-gouging），炒卖口罩；超市亦没有哄抬物价（price-gouge）。即使沙士是个致命的疾病，但它带出了香港人最美好的一面。
　　新型冠状病毒没有沙士那么致命，但它却带出了香港人最差的一面。有些人疯买厕纸、米、口罩和酒精搓手液，远多于他们自己真正需用的，以致其他人都买不到。贪心的店主都在哄抬口罩的价格（price-gouging facemasks）。
　　新冠病毒疫情引来恐慌，超市也在占尽便宜，坐地起价（price-gouge）的不但是酒精搓手液，还有奶、罐头食物及其他货物。习语trying time就是艰难的时刻。若某事是gut-wrenching，意即那是令人极之忧伤或担忧的。若你是“torn between”two things，意即你感到左右为难，不知该选择哪一样。To“stick it out”意即在困难的处境中坚持到底。To“stick together”就是团结一致，互相支持和帮助大家。To“price gouge”，正如我之前解释过的，就是哄抬物价。大型超市好应与市民同心协力（sticking together）共渡难关（trying times），倒在这时候趁机坐地起价（price-gouging）。我几日前到过一个知名的连锁超市，一樽酒精搓手液的标价竟接近平常价格的两倍；脱脂奶、罐头汤以及急冻食品亦都贵多了。为何消费者委员会甚么也不做？中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁