《中英對照讀新聞》U.S. gas prices fuel “drive offs” by angry drivers美國油價高，駕駛人火大「加油走人」

◎張其賢

A growing number of American automobile owners are so infuriated by rising gasoline prices that they are refusing to pay and speeding off in their cars from gas stations after filling their tanks.

人數日增的美國汽車車主對不斷上揚的汽油價格是如此氣憤，以致他們加滿油後拒絕付錢，並且加速駛離加油站。

Since Hurricane Katrina disrupted supplies and sent prices soaring, a flurry of what gasoline retailers call “drive offs” have taken place in New Hampshire-- a state whose car license plates are engraved with the motto: “Live Free or Die”.

自從卡崔娜颶風打亂石油供應，使油價飆漲以來，新罕布夏州（這個州的車牌上刻著「不自由（另有一意為『免費』），毋寧死」的銘言）已出現一陣汽油零售業者稱之為「加油走人」的風潮。

“I think we're seeing an increase in it because of the increase in gas prices,” said Lt. Paul Leger of the police department in the state capital Concord, echoing comments by gas retailers across the state.

「我認為，由於汽油價格高漲，我們正看到越來越多（加油走人）的行為，」新罕布夏州警察局副隊長保羅•雷杰爾在該州首府康科特說，他的話呼應了該州各地汽油零售業者的說法。

“We were just experiencing a wealth of drive-offs,” Peterborough Oil Company owner Joe Hart said in the Concord Monitor, a New Hampshire daily. “It's all shapes and sizes and ages of people who, for some reason, think they're shaking their fist at the oil-producing people, but it actually hurts us quite a bit,” he said.

「我們正出現大量加油走人的現象，」彼得鎮油品公司負責人喬•哈特在新罕布夏州「康科特箴言報」上說。「各種年紀、各式各樣的人都有，他們因為某種原因認為這樣做是在向產油業者揮拳抗議，其實卻讓我們頗受損失」。

新聞辭典

soar：動詞，高飛、升得很高。例句：The company said its first-quarter earnings soared 40% from last year.（這家公司表示，它第一季獲利比去年大幅成長40%）。

a flurry of：一陣。例句：The president's inappropriate comment on women's right movement has drawn a flurry of criticism.（總統關於女權運動的不當言論，引來一陣批評）。

motto：名詞，座右銘，箴言。

a wealth of：片語，豐富、大量的。例句：He is a man with a wealth of experience.（他是個有豐富經驗的人）。