【在生活中學習語言】《中英對照讀新聞》Louisiana lawmakers reject making Sazerac official state cocktail路州議員否決把薩澤拉克列為州雞尾酒
◎張沛元

A proposal to honor the New Orleans cocktail known as the Sazerac has gone down the drain.

一項表彰紐奧良知名雞尾酒薩澤拉克的提案泡湯了。

The Louisiana Senate rejected legislation that would have made the whiskey-based beverage the official cocktail of the U.S. state.

路易斯安那州的參議院否決了讓這種以威士忌作為基酒的飲料，成為路易斯安那州官方雞尾酒的立法案。

A Sazerac contains whiskey, sugar, bitters and absinthe, or a substitute anise-flavored liquor.

薩澤拉克內含威士忌、糖、苦味液與苦艾酒，或以帶有大茴香味的酒替代。

The bill’s author, Senator Ed Murray, noted that the drink has become world famous.

該法案撰寫人，州參議員艾德．莫瑞指出，薩澤拉克這種雞尾酒享譽全球。

But Senator Buddy Shaw and others said it was inappropriate to honor an alcoholic beverage. Three other senators said passing the bill would "send the wrong message" about the state.

但州參議員巴帝．蕭與其他人說，推崇一種含酒精飲料並不妥當。另外3位州參議員表示，通過該法案有損該州的對外形象。

The legislation failed by a vote of 27-8. Five of its supporters represent the New Orleans area.

該法案以27票對8票闖關失敗。投贊成票者中有5人代表紐奧良地區。

新聞辭典

go down the drain：片語，徒勞無功；浪費；變得沒價值；消失或終止存在。drain，名詞，排水設備；排水流洩；消耗用罄。其他使用drain的片語，如laugh like a drain，大笑。例句：She laughed like a drain when she knew what had happened.（當她知道發生了什麼事之後大笑不已。）

×××-based：以╳╳╳為基礎，為總部。例句：This renowned institute is a Washington-based, private, non-profit, and non-partisan research organization dedicated to policy research on the major economic and social issues.（這家知名的研究中心是一個以華府為總部、以重大社經議題之政策研究為宗旨的私人、非營利、無黨派的研究團體。）

來源：自由時報
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