中英對照讀新聞》Florida man fights off gator to save dog 佛羅里達州男子擊退鱷魚救狗

◎張沛元

Trent Tweddale and his dog, Loki, are recovering after a Monday morning walk on their Florida farm turned vicious.

在週一一早於（美國）佛羅里達州自家農場的漫步變得凶險後，特倫特．特威戴爾與愛犬洛奇正在休養生息。

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According to Tweddale, a nearly 13-foot gator grabbed his 6-year-old dog and pulled him into the water. Tweddale, a former Army staff sergeant, quickly reacted.

根據特威戴爾的說法，一隻近13呎長的鱷魚攫住他的6歲大愛犬，並將之拉進水裡。前陸軍上士特威戴爾迅速應對。

"I grabbed the dog’s collar to try to pull him back, and I ended up in a tug-of-war match with this gator, and the gator was not letting go," he said. "So I let go of the collar, and I got about knee-deep into the water and started pounding on the gator’s head until he eventually let go."

「我抓住狗項圈想把牠拉回來，結果變成跟這隻鱷魚比賽拔河，那鱷魚就是不肯鬆口，」他說。「所以我放開項圈，下水到深及膝處，然後開始重捶那隻鱷魚的頭，直到牠鬆口。」

With the help of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tweddale has set a trap for the gator on his property. He said he won’t rest until he catches it.

在佛州魚類與野生動物保護委員會的協助下，特威戴爾在他的土地上設了一個抓鱷魚的陷阱。他說，不抓到那隻鱷魚誓不罷休。

"We love our dog a lot and I’d fight tooth and nail for him."

「我們很愛我們的狗，我願意為了牠拚了老命。」

新聞辭典

fight off：片語，抵抗或擊退某人或某事。例句：The old lady living alone fought off an intruder on her own last night.（這名獨居老婦昨晚自行擊退一名闖入者。）

let go：慣用語，鬆手，鬆開，放開，放下。

fight tooth and nail：慣用語，竭盡全力，形容做事全力以赴，不屈不撓。例句：NYC Congressional candidate Ydanis Rodriguez pledges to wage war against poverty and fight tooth and nail for black and brown people.（美國紐約市議員候選人伊丹尼斯．羅德里格斯誓言向貧窮宣戰以及竭力為黑人與棕膚民眾打拚。）