【在生活中學習語言】《中英對照讀新聞》Jails full in Berlin: please book your ce
《中英對照讀新聞》Jails full in Berlin: please book your cell for later柏林監獄客滿:請稍後再預約牢房
◎俞智敏
Young criminals in Berlin are being turned away from a city jail and are being offered "room reservations" at later dates, a city official said.
柏林的年輕罪犯最近前往市內一所監獄入監前卻遭到拒絕,獄方還提供他們日後「訂房」的服務,據一名柏林市官員表示。
The facility in the city’s Lichtenrade district is meant to give juveniles a "short, sharp shock" of up to four weeks’ detention as a warning not to make crime a habit.
位於柏林李赫登拉得區的這座監獄原本設立的目的,是要在長達四週的拘留生活中,讓少年犯受到「短暫且劇烈的震撼」,警告他們不要養成犯罪的習慣。
But its 33 beds have been overwhelmed by the number of sentences.
但近來法院判決的數目,卻遠遠超過了監獄內的三十三個床位。
Germany often lets criminals walk free from court and report to jail at their own convenience.
德國經常讓罪犯自法庭上自由離開,並在他們方便時自行向監獄報到。
The city-state’s minister of justice, Gisela von der Aue, said one quarter, or 323, of the delinquents who queued up last year at the gate of the facility were sent away. Delinquents at the back of the queue were being given a "guaranteed booking" instead.
據柏林市司法首長馮德奧女士表示,去年有4分之1,或323名準備排隊進入該所監獄服刑的少年犯,遭到獄方拒絕入獄。排在隊伍最後面的少年犯則甚至拿到了「入獄預約保證」。
Ordinary jails are not authorized to take the youths.
德國的一般監獄無權收容少年犯。
新聞辭典
book:動詞,文中指預訂、預約,如She’d booked a table for four at their favourite restaurant.(她已在他們最喜愛的餐廳預訂了四人的位子。)名詞為booking,如We made the booking three months ago.(我們三個月前就已經預訂了。)
reservation:預訂、預訂的房間或座位,如We have made reservations for three rooms at the hotel.(我們已在這個旅館預訂了三個房間。)
at one’s convenience:在…方便的時候,如The goods will be delivered at your convenience.(貨物會在您方便的時候送到。)
來源:自由時報
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