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進入《中英對照讀新聞》Why it’s a mistake not to wait lazily for the bus為何不懶散地等公車是錯誤
◎鄭寺音
Sod’s law dictates that if you set off walking, one or possibly two buses will zoom past within minutes.
索德法則指出，如果你開始走路，一輛或可能兩輛公車，會在幾分鐘內隆隆駛過。
Now scientists claim to have shown why it is a mistake to abandon your wait at a bus stop.
現在科學家宣稱，已經找出在公車站放棄等待是項錯誤的原因。
The dilemma of whether to walk or trust the bus timetable will be familiar to all those who use public transport over short distances.
到底是要走路，還是相信公車時刻表的兩難，對在短距離使用大眾運輸的人來說並不陌生。
Mathematicians, who have pondered the conundrum, say they have cracked the problem-and the solution is to be lazy and wait for the bus to arrive.
研究這項謎題的數學家說，他們已經破解這個問題，而解決方法就是懶散地等公車來。
The rule only breaks down in extreme cases, such as if buses come every hour on a 1,000-yard route.
這項規則只有在極端案例會不靈，比方說，如果路線1000碼的公車，每小時才來一班。
The study suggests that if people still insist on walking, they should decide to do so before getting to the bus stop and starting to wait.
這項研究顯示，如果有人仍堅持走路，那他們應該在到公車站開始等車之前，就決定這樣做。
新聞辭典
Sod’s Law︰（俚語）索德法則，又稱Murphy’s Law（莫非定律），指事情有可能出錯的，就是會出錯。例句：It’s Sod’s Law that it rains on the only day I can play tennis.（我打網球的那天偏偏就會下雨，倒楣事真是躲也躲不開。）
set off︰出發，動身。例句：They set off in search of the lost child.（他們出發尋找失蹤的孩子。）
break down︰失敗，故障。例句：Our car broke down and we had to push it off the road.（我們的車故障，必須把它推到路邊。）
