古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事,古德明,香港英语教育作家,他开了一个《征服英语专栏》,在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事,用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
大难不死
At an annual reunion dinner at Bristol Cathedral Choir School, an academy in Bristol, England, an old boy recounted a wartime incident."I was at the school during the war when a German bomber heading for aircraft factories was intercepted by fighters. It then turned back, and dropped its bombs over the city for increased speed of getaway. One made a direct hit on the school, and the headmaster was later dug out from the rubble, still alive and clutching his early morning glass of milk. Another demolished the Bishop's Palace*, which was next to the school."The headmaster had a nervous breakdown as a result of the bombing and had to resign.
"英格兰布里斯托市有一专科学校,叫布里斯托大教堂唱诗班学校。在其一年一度的校友联谊晚宴上,一位男校友谈到战时一件事。「大战期间,一架德国轰炸机朝着飞机制造厂飞去,被战机截击,掉头逃走,为求加快速度,在布里斯托市上空,投下炸弹。我当时在学校里,学校被一枚炸弹炸个正着。救援者把校长从瓦砾之中掘出来:他没有丧命,手上还紧紧握着清晨喝的一杯牛奶。另一枚炸弹炸毁了校旁的主教府。「经历了这次轰炸,校长精神崩溃,唯有辞职。」*Palace除了指「宫殿」,还可以指主教或大主教的宅第。