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進入《中英對照讀新聞》Kangaroo on the Loose 落跑袋鼠
◎ 魏國金
A kangaroo has been on the loose for the last several months outside Charleston, perplexing authorities who have had problems catching it.
一隻袋鼠過去數月浪跡於查爾斯頓外，令苦於捉拿牠的當局大惑不解。
The 1-meter kangaroo, believed to be a male, comes out mostly at night or in the early morning, officials said. He makes appearances in backyards and on the county's rural roads. “People will call in and say, 'I swear I'm not drunk or on drugs, but I just saw a kangaroo,'” state conservation officer Clyde Armstead said.
這隻據信是公的、一米高的袋鼠大多在夜晚或清晨出沒，官員說。牠在住家後院或該郡的鄉村道路上現蹤，「人們會打電話進來說，『我發誓我沒有喝醉或嗑藥，不過我剛剛看到一頭袋鼠，』」州立動物保護部門官員克萊德．阿姆斯泰德指出。
The first person to report seeing the kangaroo called police one week after Christmas, saying the animal was in their yard. “The dispatcher thought someone was celebrating New Year's early,” Armstead said. Some think it may belong to the owners of an exotic animal farm in a nearby town, but the owner hasn't come forward.
第一位通報看到這隻袋鼠的人是在去年耶誕節過後一週打電話給警方，說這隻動物在他們的院子。「這名發電者以為某位仁兄在清早慶祝新年，」阿姆斯泰德說。有人認為牠是附近鄉鎮一位奇特動物農場的主人所有，但這名莊主並未出面。
Armstead and three police officers tried to catch the kangaroo a few nights ago after it was seen along a road. They managed to corner it, but it was too quick for them and it got away. “There was no way to catch him, it was like chasing a deer,” Armstead said. “And even if we did get him, I don't know what we would have done with our bare hands. They can kick pretty hard.”
幾天前的晚上，有人在某條路看到牠，阿姆斯泰德與三名警官試圖逮捕這隻袋鼠。他們成功的將牠逼到角落，但牠動作太快，兔脫得逞。「沒辦法追上牠，就像追捕一頭鹿一樣，」阿姆斯泰德說。「縱使我們真的逮住牠，我也不知道赤手空拳，我們能做什麼，牠們踢腿力道很猛。」
新聞辭典
on the loose:（犯人）在逃、逍遙法外，或指自在、無拘束。A bandit is still on the loose. （一名土匪仍在逃。）
perplex: 困惑、費解。His odd behavior perplexed me.（他的怪異行為令我不解。）
on drugs: 嗑藥、吸毒。
exotic animal: 奇珍異獸。exotic是異國的、奇特的。
