又中又英——gulping down

　　Friends have asked me if I miss Hong Kong. I tell them living in Manhattan is a blast but I pine for Hong Kong. That sounds like complicated English but it's actually really simple. The expression“a blast”has many meanings. It can mean a bomb explosion but used this way it means having a good time. You can have a blast at a party. It means you are having a good time. I am having a blast living in Manhattan because the air is fresh, New York City is exciting, and Central Park is out of this world. If something is out of this world it means it's extremely enjoyable or exciting.
　　For me, it's out of this world to eat New York-style pizzas. Aside from Italy, nowhere makes better pizzas than New York City. There is a take-out restaurant in Times Square that sells a large slice of pizza for 99 cents. That's less than HK$8. I have seen crowds of people standing there gulping down pizzas. If you gulp down something it means you eat it very quickly or hungrily. I love pizzas but hate gulping down food. My stomach cannot deal with it. Readers may know I love martinis. But when I eat a pizza I usually have red wine. Food experts say martinis are a no-no with a pizza although I think people should do what they like. If something is a no-no it means it's unsuitable or unacceptable.
　　I will now explain the expression“pine for”. This is an interesting expression especially because it's almost Christmas. There are many types of Christmas trees. A pine tree is one of them. But the expression “pine for” something has a totally different meaning. If I pine for something it means I miss it a lot and wish I could be there again. I pine for（miss）Hong Kong, where I was born. I will return to visit family and friends when the three-week quarantine is lifted.
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　　朋友们问我，可有挂念香港？我告诉他们，住在曼哈顿确实是a blast，但我亦pine for香港。它们听来是很复杂的英语，但其实再简单不过。习语（a blast）有许多意思，它可以指一个炸弹爆炸，但在这里则指玩得很尽兴、痛快，度过了美好的时光。你可以have a blast at a party，意即你在派对上很尽兴、狂欢了一场。我住在曼哈顿的日子过得很欢快（a blast），因为这里空气清新，纽约市很有趣，中央公园更是 out of this world——若某事物是out of this world，意即它好得无与伦比、宛如仙境。
　　对我来说，纽约风的薄饼亦是「只应天上有」（out of this world）的那么美味。除意大利以外，世上再没有哪个地方做的薄饼可以媲美纽约市的了。在纽约时代广场那边，有一间外卖店，一片大薄饼只卖九毫九，即不用八港元！我曾见过一大群人站在那里 gulping down薄饼——若你gulp down某物，意即你狼吞虎咽、大口大口地吃下食物。我喜爱吃薄饼，但讨厌狼吞虎咽（gulping down），我的胃可不能应付这样快速的吞咽食物。各位读者也知道，我喜爱马天尼，但当我吃薄饼的时候，通常都会喝红酒。饮食专家们说，马天尼配薄饼绝对是no-no，虽然我认为人们应该喜欢甚么便做甚么。若某事物是 no-no，意即那是不合适或不可接受的。
　　让我现在解释习语“pine for”吧。这是一个有趣的习语，尤其现在临近圣诞。圣诞树品种有很多，松树（pine tree）就是其中一种；但习语“pine for” something却有着截然不同的意思。若我pine for something，即是说我非常想念、渴望某事物，希望能重遇它，或重踏故土。我非常想念（pine for）香港——我出生的地方。当三周隔离检疫措施撤销之时，我便会回港看望亲友。
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中译:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁