《中英對照讀新聞》Be careful what you say about kimchi in Pyongyang.在平壤，講到韓國泡菜時要小心

◎ 張沛元

In North Korea, it may be a crime to speak ill of the Dear Leader, but visitors are also advised not to badmouth the beloved national dish.

在北韓，說「親愛的領導人」（註：即北韓領導人金正日）的壞話，就可能構成犯罪，但觀光客也同時被告誡，不要說（北韓人）所喜愛的傳統美食的壞話。

“Kimchi can prevent SARS and bird flu,” a North Korean official told reporters at a dinner in a state-owned restaurant in Pyongyang, urging them to spread the word around the world.

「韓國泡菜能夠預防ＳＡＲＳ和禽流感，」一名北韓官員在平壤的一家國營餐廳舉行的一場晚宴上如此告訴記者，並敦促他們（記者）將此言論向世界各地傳播。

Although kimchi has been said to prevent bird flu and SARS, cure the common cold, prevent certain types of cancer and improve the skin, few of the claims have a scientific basis.

儘管韓國泡菜被說成能夠預防禽流感與ＳＡＲＳ、治療普通感冒、預防若干特定類型的癌症，而且可以改善皮膚，但這些說法幾乎都沒有科學根據。

Asked by one journalist how he knew the SARS and bird flu claims were true, the official -- who gave his name only as “Mr Kim”, answered in an angry voice:

在被一名新聞記者問到他如何知道（韓國泡菜可以預防）ＳＡＲＳ與禽流感的說法是真的時，這名官員–僅表示他的名字是「金先生」–以憤怒的口吻說：

“Where were you? I don't understand why you never knew this information. Everybody in North Korea knows about it.”

「你是打哪來的啊？我不知道你為什麼從沒聽過這項訊息。北韓所有人都知道這件事。」

新聞辭典

speak ill of：說…的壞話，與 badmouth 意思相同；speak well of則是說…的好話。例句：She spoke ill of her husband everywhere。（她到處說她老公的壞話。）

Kimchi：名詞，韓國泡菜。kimchi是韓文，因此特指韓國的泡菜。至於其他泡菜，應用pickle，意思是「醃漬的蔬菜」，例如漢堡或三明治中所夾的酸黃瓜，就是 pickle。

bird flu：名詞，禽流感，又稱為avian influenza。