《中英對照讀新聞》Pensioner Pole lost in London, unhappy to be home 波蘭退休老人在倫敦迷路，不樂意返家

An 84-year-old Polish farmer who had never been further than the next-door village snuck off to London to follow his dreams, but his plans of a new life there didn't last long.

一名84歲、之前最遠只去過鄰村的波蘭老農，偷偷溜到倫敦去追尋夢想，不過，他想在倫敦展開新生活的計畫卻歷時短暫。

Without a word to his family, Ludwik Zon donned his Sunday best and rode off on his bike to catch the bus and train to Warsaw, then flew off to the British capital.

一句話也沒對家人說，路德維克．佐恩穿上他最好的衣服，騎上腳踏車趕搭開往華沙的巴士與火車，然後直飛英國首都。

Worried officials who found him wandering around Heathrow airport got the Polish consulate to take care of him. It arranged his passage home, to his chagrin.

擔憂的官員們發現他在希斯羅機場裡遊蕩，因此聯絡波蘭領事館來照顧他。領事館替他安排返家行程，卻令他十分懊惱。

"It's too bad I wasn't allowed to stay longer, because the people there have got a wonderful life. I thought I might look about for a job. Here in Poland a person hasn't got a future," said the disgruntled pensioner.

「我未能獲准多作停留實在太可惜了，因為那裡的人都過著美好的生活。我還以為可以去找個工作。在波蘭根本沒有前途，」這位不高興的退休老人表示。

Fed up with life at home in the small central town of Znin, he skimped on food for years to save some $3000 from his meagre 600-zloty （$185） monthly pension to execute his plan.

由於厭倦了在波蘭中部小鎮茲寧的生活，多年來他一直剋扣食物花費，從每個月僅600波幣（185美元）的微薄退休俸中，存下3000美元來實行他的計畫。

Zon knew no one in Britain and cannot speak a word of English, but it did not dent his enthusiasm for London.

佐恩在英國一個人也不認識，而且一句英文也不會說，但這完全沒有影響到他對前往倫敦尋夢的熱忱。

"In my long lifetime no-one had ever been as polite to me as the English, and who knows if I won't return," he said.

「我活了這麼久，從來沒有人像英國人對我那麼有禮貌，而且誰知道我還會不會回來，」他說。

新聞辭典

Sneak off：（sneak的過去式為sneaked或snuck）sneak指偷偷地走、偷溜，如 I didn't notice he sneaking up behind me.（我沒注意到他在後面偷偷的跟著。）

Sunday best：指僅在特殊節日才會穿上的最體面的衣服。

to one's chagrin：chagrin在此作名詞，指失望或懊惱，如My children have never shown an interest in music, much to my chagrin.（我的小孩對音樂從來沒興趣，真令我失望。）