又中又英 | Reflecting Pool | 褚简宁

　　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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　　并非很多香港人熟知华盛顿特区的倒影池。香港游客偏好去纽约市和洛杉矶这些地方。我知道倒影池like the back of my hand，因我在1990年代期间于华盛顿特区当新闻工作者。To know something like the back of your hand是指你对某事物了如指掌。我和我的家人当年常去倒影池和附近的景点，例如史密森尼学会的众多博物馆。倒影池建于1922年，长2028呎，阔167呎。

　　倒影池的一端反照出林肯纪念堂，另一端则反照华盛顿纪念碑。它的浅水会导致藻类滋生，因此需要清理。总统特朗普之前下令翻新倒影池，以在下月美国建国250周年时看来spick and span－－to be spick and span是指极为干净整洁。特朗普想将灰色的池底漆成美国国旗的蓝色。国家公园局绕过招标程序，直接将价值1400万美元的合约给了一间公司，该公司东主曾捐款给特朗普。池底的蓝色漆很快便剥落，藻类又再滋生。

　　特朗普归咎于有人蓄意破坏。特朗普所任命，华盛顿特区的联邦检察官珍妮．皮罗落案起诉前美国奥运划艇运动员，指控他触摸松脱的涂层，毁坏了池的衬层。在调查显示承办商拙劣地修补（botched）池底后，皮罗最终撤控，激怒了特朗普。To botch something是指拙劣地修补或搞砸一件事情。特朗普坚持是人为破坏导致倒影池损毁，斥责皮罗folding like an umbrella。人们用过雨伞后会将其折起（fold），但fold一字也可解作放弃或停止做某事。扑克牌玩家收到烂牌时，就会弃牌（fold）。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻