◎羅彥傑

Staff at London Zoo have started their annual stock take, where they have to count every animal individually... last year their were 15,107.

倫敦動物園的工作人員已開始對動物進行清點，他們必須一個一個地清點動物……去年他們得出的數字是15,107。

While bosses at the zoo say they have a good idea of what animals they have, they claim the stock take is the only way to know exactly what is where.

雖然動物園的主管表示，他們十分清楚擁有哪些動物，但他們也主張，清點是精確掌握哪裡有哪些動物的唯一辦法。

As a result staff have the unenviable job of counting and logging them all, but with over 5,000 fish it is harder than it sounds.

因此，員工要清算與登錄所有動物的這個工作不值得羨慕，且由於魚群數量超過5千，情況比聽起來還難。

There are more than 750 different species at the zoo including gorillas, squirrel monkeys and tigers -- as well as many smaller （and harder to count） critters.

動物園內有超過750種不同的物種，包括大猩猩、松鼠猴與老虎—以及許多更小（與更難計算）的動物。

Hopefully not too many of the animals are currently buried under the snow.

但願此刻不會有太多動物埋在雪堆中。

A spokesperson for London Zoo said： "Spare a thought for Zookeepers at ZSL London Zoo today, when they will be undertaking a complete head count of every animal."

倫敦動物園一名發言人說︰「今天請替倫敦動物園的管理員想一想，他們就要對每一頭動物進行徹底清點的工作。」

新聞辭典

stock take︰片語，盤點、清點存貨。例句︰Does your company undertake an annual or periodic stock-take?（貴公司會進行年度或定期盤點嗎？）

as a result︰片語，因此。例句︰I had stuttered since my boyhood and as a result talked very little.（我從兒時起就口吃，因此很少說話。）

spare a thought for ~︰片語，替～著想。例句︰Anyway, spare a thought for the homeless.（無論如何，替那些無家可歸者想一想吧。）

自由時報-990119

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