又中又英｜In the thick of

By the time you read this, I will be in Taipei for a holiday before flying to the US. I chose a window seat for my Cathay business class flight because I love looking at Hong Kong's harbour from a plane. Cathay's fares are higher than many other airlines, but I chose it to support Hong Kong's own airline. Flying over the harbour made me sorely miss Hong Kong. To sorely miss something means to miss it very much. I took consolation in knowing I will always visit again. To take consolation means to try to comfort yourself or be less unhappy about something sad.

Being in the US at this time will be exciting for me as a journalist even though I no longer write political columns. I lived and worked in Washington DC for many years, covering the Congress, State Department, and the White House. I hope to write some columns about the elections for this and other publications. This means I will be in the thick of the election campaign leading up to election day on November 5. To be in the thick of something means to be involved in an exciting or dangerous situation, such as an election, or a fight.

Americans will either re-elect Democrat Joe Biden for a second and final term or Republican Donald Trump, who served one term as president which makes him eligible to run for a second term. Biden, who will turn 82 in November, is the oldest presidential candidate in US history. Trump, aged 77, was last week convicted of covering up a sex scandal. He is the first US president to be found guilty of a crime.

當你讀到這裏的時候，我已經在台北度假，之後會飛往美國。我選了國泰商務艙一個窗邊的座位，因為我喜愛從飛機上看香港的海港。國泰的價錢比許多其他航空公司的要高，但我還是選擇搭它來支持香港自己的航空公司。飛越維港令我sorely miss香港——to sorely miss something是指非常想念某事物。但我知道我總還能再度訪港，這就給我帶來莫大的安慰（took consolation）。To take consolation是指你嘗試安慰自己或令自己不去為着某件傷心的事而那麼難過。

這次在美國，將是對我作為新聞工作者來說很興奮的事，即使我已沒有寫政治專欄。我在華盛頓特區居住和工作多年，報道過美國國會、美國國務院以及白宮。我希望能為本報以及其他出版物撰寫有關美國選舉的專欄。這亦意味着現今直到11月5日大選日，我會處於（in the thick of）大選活動最緊張的時刻。To be in the thick of something是指置身於一個最緊張或最激烈的處境中，例如一個選舉，又或一場打鬥中。

美國人不是選民主黨的祖‧拜登，就是選共和黨的唐納德‧特朗普，前者競逐他的第二個亦是最後一個任期，後者曾就任一個任期的總統，令他符合競逐第二個任期的資格。拜登於11月將會是82歲，成為美國史上最年老的總統候選人。年屆77歲的特朗普，上星期因為偽造紀錄掩蓋性醜聞被判罪成。他是首位被法庭定罪的美國總統。
 
mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻