Every time there is a flu outbreak in Hong Kong, the government’s health officials tell us to avoid crowded places, wash our hands, wear face masks if we feel unwell, and to cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze. The government even has announcements on TV and radio reminding us to avoid crowded places. Now that there is a measles outbreak, government health officials are telling us to do the same. It always?cracks me up?when I see these announcements on TV advising me to avoid crowded places. The slang expression “cracks me up” means it makes me laugh a lot.
It cracks me up because it is impossible to avoid crowded places in Hong Kong. We are a tiny city with a population of 7.4 million people. Another 65 million tourists come to Hong Kong every year, most of them from the mainland. MTR trains are always crowded. The streets are always full. Shopping malls are?crawling with?people. The expression “crawling with” means filled with or full of. For example, forests are?crawling with?insects. The only way for Hong Kong people to avoid crowded places is to always stay home. Every time I use the MTR, people are coughing or sneezing. Most of them do not cover their mouths. Those who cover their mouths do it the wrong way, coughing into their hands instead of the?crook of their arms.
The?crook of the arm?is the inside part of the arm at the elbow where it bends. People who cough into their hands spread their germs when they shake hands or touch things, such as doorknobs or MTR handrails. MTR trains are?crawling with germs. Planes are also?crawling with?germs. Many studies show the dirtiest parts of a plane include the tray table, headrest, and seat belt buckle. Experts suggest that you should clean these parts with alcohol wipes. They also suggest that you use a scarf to cover your whole face for about 20 seconds if passengers near you cough or sneeze. I will follow this advice from now on.
******
每當(dāng)香港有流感爆發(fā)，政府健康衞生部門的官員總是叫我們避免到人多擠逼的地方侮腹、要勤洗手儡率、不適的時(shí)候要戴口罩廉羔，以及在咳嗽或打噴嚏的時(shí)候要掩著口鼻竭业。政府甚至?xí)陔娨暫碗娕_(tái)作出呼籲，提醒我們要避開人多擠逼的地方“笄啵現(xiàn)在有麻疹爆發(fā)勘伺，政府衞生官員又叫我們做同樣的事。每當(dāng)我見到電視上的呼籲昌腰，忠告我要避開人多擠逼的地方時(shí)开伏，總是令我爆笑（cracks me up）。俚語cracks me up意即令我哈哈大笑遭商。
它令我笑翻（cracks me up）是因?yàn)樵谙愀酃塘椋静豢赡鼙荛_人多擠逼的地方。我們住在狹小的城市內(nèi)劫流，有著七百四十萬人口巫玻，另外還加上每年六十五萬訪港的遊客，當(dāng)中大部份來自中國內(nèi)地祠汇。港鐵列車經(jīng)常人滿為患仍秤；街道上總都是人；商場(chǎng)亦是擠滿了（crawling with）人可很。習(xí)語crawling with意即「充滿诗力、擠滿」。例如我抠，森林都滿是（crawling with）昆蟲苇本。香港人可以避開人多擠逼地方的唯一方法，就是留在家中菜拓。每次我搭港鐵的時(shí)候瓣窄，都有人在咳嗽又或打噴嚏，他們大部份都沒有掩口鼻纳鼎。那些掩口的人又做錯(cuò)了俺夕，總是咳進(jìn)手掌中而非臂彎處（crook of their arms）裳凸。
The crook of the arm就是手肘的內(nèi)側(cè)彎處。那些咳進(jìn)手掌的人啥么，當(dāng)他們跟人握手又或觸碰門把或港鐵扶手等物件時(shí)登舞，就會(huì)傳播細(xì)菌。港鐵車廂亦滿佈（crawling with）細(xì)菌悬荣。飛機(jī)也都滿是（crawling with）細(xì)菌菠秒。許多研究顯示，飛機(jī)機(jī)艙上最髒的地方包括餐枱氯迂、頭枕以及座位安全帶践叠。專家建議你應(yīng)該先用酒精消毒紙巾抹拭這些地方。他們也建議說嚼蚀，若你附近的乘客咳嗽或打噴嚏禁灼，你可用一條圍巾掩著自己的面部。我從今開始會(huì)遵從這個(gè)建議轿曙。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡(jiǎn)寧
