《中英對照讀新聞》Paratroopers mistakenly land at prison 烏龍傘兵錯降監獄

◎魏國金

A unit of 25 military paratroopers landed inside the perimeter of a state prison, but not to quell a riot or attempt some movie-script breakout. They just goofed.

某個25人的傘兵部隊降落在一所州立監獄內，不過並不是擔負鎮暴平亂任務，或發動電影情節般的突圍行動。他們只是擺了個烏龍。

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The paratroopers, armed with exercise rifles that shoot rubber bullets, landed in a corn field outside the Fremont Correctional Institute, Colorado Department of Corrections spokeswoman Katherine Sanguinetti said. Guards escorted them off the grounds with no violence, she told the Rocky Mountain News.

科羅拉多懲教部女發言人凱薩琳．桑奎內提指出，這批「天兵」配備發射塑膠子彈的演習用步槍，降落在弗雷蒙特懲教所外的一個玉米田。她告訴落磯山新聞報說，監獄守衛護送他們離場，沒有爆發衝突。

Sanguinetti said she did not know which military unit was involved. She said an investigation is under way but it appears guards handled the inadvertent intrusion correctly.

桑奎內提說，她不清楚是哪個軍事單位涉及此事。她說，調查正在進行中，不過顯然守衛人員對於這起誤闖事件處理得當。

The newspaper said the Army and Air Force denied knowledge of the episode. The Colorado National Guard did not return a call seeking comment.

落磯山新聞報報導，陸軍與空軍都否認知悉這起插曲。科羅拉多州國民兵部隊則對詢問電話沒有回電。

新聞辭典

perimeter︰（軍事基地、機場等設施的）周圍、週邊陣地，也可指周長。 例句︰What is the perimeter of this oblong.（這個矩形的周長是多少？）

breakout︰名詞，突圍或越獄、逃亡。break out後接動名詞，有突然之舉的意思。例句︰She broke out crying. （她突然哭了起來。）

goof︰名詞，指傻瓜、錯誤，動詞有犯錯、閒晃、混日子之意。goof around╱off ，怠惰、偷懶。goof-off，懶惰成性之人。

inadvertent︰疏忽的、不經意的。an inadvertent error，疏忽造成的錯誤；an inadvertent remark，漫不經心的話。