《中英對照讀新聞》Sheep take over streets of Madrid for annual migration 綿羊為年度遷徙佔領馬德里街道

西班牙近2000頭羊20日循中世紀路線移牧，象徵性繳費穿越首都馬德里市中心。（法新社檔案照）

◎周虹汶

Sheep replaced traffic on the streets of Madrid on Sunday as shepherds steered their flocks through the heart of the Spanish capital, following ancient migration routes.

綿羊週日取代了馬德里街上的車輛，當牧羊人沿著古老遷徙路線，引領羊群穿越西班牙首都心臟地帶。

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The annual event, which started in 1994, allows shepherds to exercise their right to use traditional routes to migrate their livestock from northern Spain to more southerly pastures for winter grazing.

這項始於1994年的年度活動，允許牧羊人使用傳統路線的權利，把羊群從西班牙北部遷到比較南邊的牧場進行冬季放牧。

The route would have taken them through undeveloped countryside a few centuries ago, but today it cuts through Madrid’s bustling city center and along some of its most famous streets.

這條路線幾世紀前帶牠們通過尚未開發的鄉間，但它今日穿越馬德里繁華熱鬧的市中心，途經一些名氣最響亮的街道。

Sheep farmers pay a nominal charge in symbolic acknowledgement of a 1418 agreement with the city council that set a fee of 50 maravedis - medieval coins - per 1,000 sheep brought through the central Sol square and Gran Via street.

牧羊人支付了名義上的費用，象徵性地認可1418年與市議會達成的收費協議，每引領千頭綿羊穿越市中心太陽門廣場和格蘭大道，付費50枚馬拉維第—一種中世紀硬幣。

The herd includes 2,000 merino sheep and 100 goats.（Reuters）

這獸群包括2000頭美麗諾綿羊和100隻山羊。（路透）

新聞辭典

steer：動詞，指掌船舵、駕駛、指導、帶領、操縱、行進、遵循；名詞，指指點、建議。例句：The leader steered a middle course.（這名領袖走中間道路。）

cut through：片語，指很快理解、迅速克服應對、抄近路穿過、鋸開。例句：I want to cut through the red tape.（我想省去充滿官僚作風的繁文縟節。）

herd：名詞，指獸群、芸芸眾生。例句：He follows the herd.（他跟風追隨主流。）

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