離開
進入中英對照讀新聞》We’re hiring: Babies wanted for Japan nursing home 我們正在招聘：日本療養院需要嬰兒
日本一間療養院招聘4歲以下嬰兒陪伴長者。（美聯社檔案照）
◎林雨萱
A nursing home in southern Japan is “hiring” babies for a very important job — to keep its elderly residents company and make them smile.
日本南部一間療養院正在招聘嬰兒，擔任非常重要的職位──陪伴年長居民、讓他們開心。
A job advert pinned to the wall informs would-be workers they will be compensated for their services in diapers and powdered milk.
一個釘在牆上的工作廣告告知未來的員工，他們將會收到尿布和配方奶做為服務報酬。
New recruits at the facility in Kitakyushu must be under four years old, and their guardians have to sign a contract stipulating that the babies and toddlers can show up for work “whenever they feel like it.”
這間北九州機構的新成員必須小於4歲，而且他們的監護人必須簽署一份合約，明文規定嬰兒和學步幼童可以依照他們的意願，想上班的時候再出現。
More than 30 babies have been signed up so far, tasked with lifting the spirits of more than 100 residents who are mostly in their 80s.
至今已有超過30名嬰兒報名，他們被賦予提升逾百名居民興致的任務，這些居民大多超過80歲。
新聞辭典
toddler：名詞，學步幼童。例句：This baby walker is suitable for toddlers.（這款學步車適合學步幼童。）
compensate：動詞，付報酬，彌補。例句：Laurie treats me to dinner to compensate for keeping me wait.（勞利請我吃晚餐做為讓我久等的補償。）
lift the spirits：動詞片語，提升興致。例句：Jenny cracked some jokes to lift the spirit of her family.（珍妮講幾個笑話提升家人的興致。）
