又中又英｜Popping champagne
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
2021-12-30 00:00 HKT
字體大小
Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Will you be popping champagne? To pop champagne means to open a bottle of champagne by removing the cork in a way that it makes a "pop" sound. Many people celebrate New Year's Eve at midnight by popping champagne. Formula One racing drivers who win pop champagne to celebrate. I am not a big fan of champagne but like popping champagne by removing the cork with my thumb until it pops out. Most restaurants don't pop champagne to avoid the cork hitting people. Waiters remove the cork by twisting it with a napkin so it pops into their hand. Many places around the world will be ringing in 2022 in a subdued mood this year.
As I explained in a previous column, to ring in something used this way means to celebrate the beginning of something, such as the New Year. The expression "subdued mood" is used to describe people who are quieter and not as happy as usual. People in many countries will be in a subdued mood because the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has put a damper on celebrations. To put a damper on something means to make it less enjoyable or exciting. Netherlands announced before Christmas there will be another lockdown. Denmark will close cinemas, amusement parks, museums, and art galleries. London and Paris have cancelled their famous New Year's Eve fireworks. New York's famous Times Square celebrations will be scaled back.
When will the pandemic end? People around the world are tired of lockdowns and closed borders. Just when it seemed there was hope the pandemic will ease in 2022 the world was hit with Omicron. Many countries have now decided they must learn to live with the virus. Indefinite lockdowns and closed borders will destroy the economy. The solution is to get the world vaccinated but that will take a long time. Try not to be in a subdued mood despite Omicron. Happy New Year!
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明天就是大除夕。你可会去popping champagne？To pop champagne意即开一瓶香槟，并刻意在移除瓶口软木塞时发出「噗」（pop）的一声。许多人在除夕午夜倒数跨年时，会开香槟（popping champagne）庆祝。胜出比赛的一级方程式赛车手也会开香槟（pop champagne）庆祝。我并非很钟情喝香槟，但也喜欢开香槟（popping champagne）时，用拇指移除酒塞直至它「噗」一声的弹开。大部份餐厅都不会这样「噗」一声的开香槟（pop champagne），以免飞弹而出的酒塞会击中人。侍应会用餐巾慢慢扭开酒塞，好让酒塞甩脱在自己的手里。世界许多地方今年只能在低迷的气氛（subdued mood）中迎接（ringing in）二○二二年。
正如我在之前的文章中解释过，to ring in something在这里是解作庆祝某事如新年的开始、来临。习语 "subdued mood" 是用来形容人心情低落、闷闷不乐，不如往常般欢欣。许多国家的人都会落在消沉的情绪（subdued mood）之中，因为新冠病毒的 Omicron变种破坏了庆祝活动的兴致（put a damper on celebrations）。To put a damper on something就是给某事蒙上阴影、令人扫兴、不能尽欢。荷兰在圣诞前宣布会有另一次的封城；丹麦会关闭戏院、游乐园、博物馆以及艺廊；伦敦和巴黎亦已取消了它们著名的除夕倒数烟花汇演；纽约时代广场著名的庆祝活动亦大大缩小了规模。
疫情到底何时终结？世界各地的人都厌倦了封城和封关。正当疫情看来有望于二○二二年放缓之际，世界又受到Omicron变种的冲击。许多国家现在都已决定，必须学习与病毒共存。无限期的封城与封关会摧毁经济。解决方法就是让全球接种疫苗，但这需时甚久。尽管有Omicron，也尽量别让自己闷闷不乐（in a subdued mood）吧。祝各位新年快乐！ [email protected]
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
As I explained in a previous column, to ring in something used this way means to celebrate the beginning of something, such as the New Year. The expression "subdued mood" is used to describe people who are quieter and not as happy as usual. People in many countries will be in a subdued mood because the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has put a damper on celebrations. To put a damper on something means to make it less enjoyable or exciting. Netherlands announced before Christmas there will be another lockdown. Denmark will close cinemas, amusement parks, museums, and art galleries. London and Paris have cancelled their famous New Year's Eve fireworks. New York's famous Times Square celebrations will be scaled back.
When will the pandemic end? People around the world are tired of lockdowns and closed borders. Just when it seemed there was hope the pandemic will ease in 2022 the world was hit with Omicron. Many countries have now decided they must learn to live with the virus. Indefinite lockdowns and closed borders will destroy the economy. The solution is to get the world vaccinated but that will take a long time. Try not to be in a subdued mood despite Omicron. Happy New Year!
＊＊＊＊＊
明天就是大除夕。你可会去popping champagne？To pop champagne意即开一瓶香槟，并刻意在移除瓶口软木塞时发出「噗」（pop）的一声。许多人在除夕午夜倒数跨年时，会开香槟（popping champagne）庆祝。胜出比赛的一级方程式赛车手也会开香槟（pop champagne）庆祝。我并非很钟情喝香槟，但也喜欢开香槟（popping champagne）时，用拇指移除酒塞直至它「噗」一声的弹开。大部份餐厅都不会这样「噗」一声的开香槟（pop champagne），以免飞弹而出的酒塞会击中人。侍应会用餐巾慢慢扭开酒塞，好让酒塞甩脱在自己的手里。世界许多地方今年只能在低迷的气氛（subdued mood）中迎接（ringing in）二○二二年。
正如我在之前的文章中解释过，to ring in something在这里是解作庆祝某事如新年的开始、来临。习语 "subdued mood" 是用来形容人心情低落、闷闷不乐，不如往常般欢欣。许多国家的人都会落在消沉的情绪（subdued mood）之中，因为新冠病毒的 Omicron变种破坏了庆祝活动的兴致（put a damper on celebrations）。To put a damper on something就是给某事蒙上阴影、令人扫兴、不能尽欢。荷兰在圣诞前宣布会有另一次的封城；丹麦会关闭戏院、游乐园、博物馆以及艺廊；伦敦和巴黎亦已取消了它们著名的除夕倒数烟花汇演；纽约时代广场著名的庆祝活动亦大大缩小了规模。
疫情到底何时终结？世界各地的人都厌倦了封城和封关。正当疫情看来有望于二○二二年放缓之际，世界又受到Omicron变种的冲击。许多国家现在都已决定，必须学习与病毒共存。无限期的封城与封关会摧毁经济。解决方法就是让全球接种疫苗，但这需时甚久。尽管有Omicron，也尽量别让自己闷闷不乐（in a subdued mood）吧。祝各位新年快乐！ [email protected]
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁
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