離開
進入中英對照讀新聞》Diner accidentally discovers dinosaur footprints at restaurant in China 用餐顧客意外在中國的餐廳發現恐龍足印
香港民眾在機器恐龍前合影留念。本圖僅供示意，與本文無關。（法新社）
◎周虹汶
A diner sitting in the outdoor courtyard of a small restaurant in China’s Sichuan province happened to look down at the ground and spot something unusual. It appeared to be a dinosaur footprint.
中國四川省一間小餐廳坐在室外的顧客偶然向地上看了一眼，發現一些不尋常之處。它似乎是個恐龍足印。
Two weeks ago, Chinese paleontologists confirmed that the diner was right. The depressions had in fact been left by two dinosaurs as they plodded across the region about 100 million years ago.
兩週前，中國古生物學家確認這位顧客沒看錯。這些坑凹事實上是兩隻恐龍在約一億年前吃力穿過這片區域時留下的。
Using a 3D scanner, scientists determined that the tracks were made by sauropods — large herbivorous dinosaurs with long necks and four legs. According to Lida Xing, a paleontologist at China University of Geosciences who led the team investigating the site, these footprints were probably made by the species Titanosauriformes.
使用3D掃描器，科學家判定這些痕跡是由蜥腳亞目恐龍所留下—具有長脖子和四條腿的大型草食性恐龍。根據領導該團隊調查當地的中國地質大學古生物學家邢立達指出，這些足印可能是由泰坦巨龍所留下。
The footprints are about 22 inches long on average, and the dinosaurs probably measured about 26 feet long and weighed more than 2,000 pounds, Xing said.
邢立達說，這些足印平均長約22英吋，而恐龍可能長約26英呎，體重超過2000磅。
While not an everyday occurrence, the discovery of dinosaur footprints happens on occasion in China — just not in urban environments.
雖然不是每天都會發生，但中國不時會發現恐龍足印，只是不會在都市環境下。
新聞辭典
depression：名詞，沮喪、不景氣、蕭條、窪地、下沉。例句：The photographs show depressions in the moon’s surface.（這些照片顯示了月球表面的凹陷。）
plod：動詞，沈重地走、吃力地行走、勤苦的工作、孜孜從事。例句；We plodded our way across the muddy field.（我們蹣跚地走過泥濘的田野。）
on occasion：不時地、有時。例句：Popular animated films have on occasion generated controversy in recent years.（近年來流行的動畫電影不時引起爭議。）
