[Movie Review] Pacific Rim (環太平洋)

Monsters, Machines and Mind Melding in a Race for the World
(生存競賽: 怪獸, 機器, 與精神融合)

In ‘Pacific Rim,’ Pilots Inside Robots Face Alien Invaders

(在電影「環太平洋」中, 機器人裡的操作駕駛員奮力對抗外星侵略者)

By A. O. SCOTT

Published: July 11, 2013

Viewed from one angle — from below, say, as you cower before the Imax screen, your 3-D glasses digging into the bridge of your nose, condensation from your Diet Coke dripping onto your leg — “Pacific Rim” looks a lot like other movies of its type. Dinosaurish creatures as big as skyscrapers do battle with equally gigantic robots on land and sea, pulverizing familiar cities and churning up geysers of spume. Human characters (some of whom are actually inside the giant robots) bark out catchphrases, spout fake science and express noble sentiments as they fight to save the planet. More than two hours of your life elapse before they do (?).

想像你在Imax超大螢幕前蜷縮身子就定位, 你的3D眼鏡架好放在你的鼻樑上, 水珠從無糖可樂的瓶身滴落到你的腿上--從這個角度來看, 「環太平洋」跟其他同類電影幾乎是大同小異。跟摩天樓一樣大小, 類似恐龍的生物, 跟其體型一樣巨大的機器人在陸地及海上相互廝殺, 粉碎了熟悉的城市也掀起狂風巨浪。在人類拯救地球的奮戰中, 他們(有些是在大型機器人裡的控制員)大喊指令, 大談偽科學, 也同時展現出高尚的情操。在你察覺之前, 兩個多小時一下子就過去了(?)。

So consider yourself warned. If you walk in expecting subtlety, or even novelty, you may find yourself more tormented than entertained. But “Pacific Rim” is also a reminder — either just in time or much too late — that this kind of movie can and should be fun. Some of those catchphrases are mildly clever. The lab coat mumbo-jumbo is amusing (?). The noble sentiments touch (or strike) sweet chords. And who does not delight in seeing a robot punch a dinosaur every now and then — or pretty much constantly for two hours?
所以請先有心理準備: 如果你期待進到電影院看到的是一部細膩甚至是有新穎題材的電影, 痛苦的感覺會遠遠多過於娛樂。但是「環太平洋」卻也同時提醒大家－或者是正好也或者有點晚－這類型的電影能夠也應該是有趣的。電影中有些呼喊的口號是蘊含著智慧的；實驗室中科學家們討論著專業的對話內容卻又不失輕快有趣的節奏, 著實逗人發笑；流露出的高尚情操也在在觸動觀眾的心弦。況且，誰不喜歡看機器人時不時地或是更精確的說是整整兩個小時幾乎沒停過地狠揍恐龍？

The director, Guillermo del Toro (who wrote the script with Travis Beacham), is an unabashed genre enthusiast and a feverish inventor of fantastical worlds, enchanted by the visual and symbolic power of monsters and intoxicated by his own imagination. It is true that he has employed that imagination to more memorable effect in other movies, notably the wonderful “Hellboy” pictures and the shattering Spanish Civil War horror-allegories “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “The Devil’s Backbone.” Admirers of those films may find this one crude and overscale(?) by comparison. Still, “Pacific Rim,” with its carefree blend of silliness and solemnity, is clearly the product of an ingenious and playful pop sensibility (?).

導演Guillermo del Toro (與Travis Beacham合寫了這部片的劇本)是個對科幻世界極為狂熱又大膽的創造者, 他被怪獸的型態與其強大力量背後所象徵的意義深深地吸引並沉醉於自己的想像之中。他已經成功運用他的想像力在其他電影中並創造出許多令人印象深刻的特效, 著名的電影例如精彩的「地獄怪客(Hellboy)」系列電影,以及以西班牙內戰為背景題材的恐怖諷諭片「羊男的迷宮(Pan's Labyrinth)」和「鬼童院(The Devil's Backbone)」。這些電影的影迷可能會覺得這部片相較之下略顯粗糙及規模太過龐大(?), 但是, 隨性穿插融合著時而嚴肅時而荒唐有趣劇情的「環太平洋」仍舊是一部新穎獨特以及符合時下感官的作品(?)。

“But Gipsy is analog!” This exclamation, though not immediately intelligible out of context (or in it, for that matter), is in some ways the key to the movie. A bit of explanation is in order, though I’m afraid it will not be as exhaustive or as breathless as the voice-over narration that begins the movie or the expository dialogue that pops up throughout. Gipsy is a Jaeger, one of the enormous metal bipeds built to fight off the Kaiju, horrible creatures who have popped up through the bottom of the Pacific Ocean via a portal to their native dimension.
"但Gipsy是個由模擬計算機所發動的機器人!" 雖然單看這句話或是把它從情境中抽離都讓人無法立刻瞭解其中的意涵, 但對這部電影而言在某些方面卻道出關鍵。電影進行中會依照劇情需求適時地出現情境解釋, 但我仍擔心效果沒有像電影一開始的旁白敘述或是穿梭於劇情中演員間的對話那般深刻或令人屏氣凝神。Gipsy 是其中一隻被稱做Jaeger的大型機器人, 被用來對抗從太平洋底層不斷出現的恐怖怪獸Kaiju, 而藉由一個異次元的出入口從太平洋可以連結到牠們的原生地。  

• voice-over (n):
• （电影、电视节目或广告的）画外音，旁白,解说：(n)The voice-over of a film, television programme, or advertisement consists of words which are spoken by someone who is not seen.

Still with me? The Kaiju are, as alien invaders tend to be, quite hostile. They are also diabolically clever, evolving quickly in response to military attempts to defeat them. After a long war of attrition (dramatized in a precredit chunk that is almost a movie in itself), only a handful of Jaegers remain, concentrated in Hong Kong for a last stand against the enemy. Commanded by the wondrously named Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba), the Jaeger pilots — who must work in pairs assisted by technology that links their brains — are a motley global crew. Our attention is particularly focused on Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) and Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), who seem to have especially traumatic experiences with Kaiju in their pasts.
還跟得上我的腳步嗎？Kaiju是一群相當具有敵意的外星入侵者。他們卻又剛好聰明到令人厭惡，他們能根據軍方使出的策略，以非常快的進化速度做出相對應的反擊。在長期雨水底怪獸對抗的耗損戰之下（大量的信用貸款更是雪上加霜），剩下為數不多的Jaeger集中在香港做為對抗敵人最後的基地。由Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba飾演)統帥指揮, 來自各國的Jaeger操作駕駛員必須兩人並肩合作，透過科技的協助將他們的神經彼此連結。我們的重心也特別放在Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam飾演) 以及 Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi飾演)兩位似乎都因為Kaiju有段痛苦經歷的主角身上。

• diabolical (adj):
• 糟透的;极其恶劣的;非常讨厌的: If you describe something as diabolical, you are emphasizing that it is very bad, extreme, or unpleasant.
• attrition (n):
• （对敌人造成的）削弱，耗损 Attrition is a process in which you steadily reduce the strength of an enemy by continually attacking them.
• The rebels have declared a ceasefire in their war of attrition against the government.
  (在与政府的消耗战中，反叛者宣布停火。)

There is also an Australian father-son team (Max Martini and Rob Kazinsky) — Raleigh and the son, who are hard to tell apart, trade a few punches at one point (?) — and a duo of manic, mismatched scientists (Charlie Day and Burn Gorman) for comic relief. Hellboy himself (that is, Ron Perlman) shows up as a local underworld figure, doing more for the film’s attitude than for its plot (?). Wearing dark glasses and metal-toed shoes and spouting Runyonesque gangster gibberish, he reminds you that “Pacific Rim” is, more than anything else, a cartoon.
另外還有一組來自澳洲的父子檔, Raleigh以及他的兒子(由Max Martini和Rob Kazinsky飾演)兩人非常相像難以區分也曾一度起爭執而拳頭相向; 還有一對同為激動派但意見總是相左的科學家(由Charlie Day及Burn Gorman飾演), 他們的滑稽有趣為這部電影注入了輕鬆的氣氛。本身就像是地獄怪客般, 以本土黑幫的角色出現的Ron Perlman, 為這部電影所呈現出來的態度遠多過於他的戲份 (?)。帶著黑色墨鏡, 穿著金屬尖頭的鞋子, 滔滔不絕以類似作家Runyon幽默的風格說著流氓的胡話, 他的角色提醒你, 「環太平洋」不是別的, 就是一部動畫。

Which brings me back to the analog identity of Gipsy, which is able to keep fighting when some bad Kaiju mojo shuts down the fancy digital Jaeger. “Pacific Rim” is loaded with computer-generated imagery, but its soul is proudly mechanical. Its off-kilter sense of proportion harks back to the inspired models and stop-motion techniques of the late special-effects maestro Ray Harryhausen (?). Even in 3-D (which does not add much of interest), the images are composed of bright tones and blocky shapes (?), like old comic-book panels. And this future, for all the talk of “neural drift” and dimensional wormholes, is a world of tubes and rivets and pistons. Jules Verne and H. G. Wells would appreciate it.

讓我回到Gipsy是由模擬計算機所發動的機器人這件事上面吧! 這是讓Gipsy能在其他新型數字訊號類型的Jaeger被海底怪獸Kaiju打爆後仍能持續發電對抗的最主要原因。「環太平洋」雖充刺著電腦所創造出來的意象，但其靈魂卻是崇仰機械學原理的; 這樣不對襯的概念可說是反映出近代特效大師 Ray Harryhausen那啟發後輩的動畫理論以及逐格動畫技術所帶來的影響。就算是以3D的方式呈現(好像也不會更加有趣), 影片仍是以明亮的調性以及近距離塊狀拍攝呈現, 就像是傳統的漫畫分隔一樣。若我們能將這所有跟＂神經連結＂以及異次元蟲洞相關的未來看成是一個充滿著管線, 鉚釘以及引擎活塞的世界，Jules Verne 和 H. G. Wells這兩位這名小說家將會充滿感激。

• Off-kilter:
• 不完全正确;有问题;不對勁;打亂: If something or someone is out of kilter or off kilter, they are not completely right.
• hark back to:
• 与（过去的某事物）类似;以（过去的某事物）为模範:  If you say that one thing harks back to another thing in the past, you mean it is similar to it or takes it as a model. 
• 回想;重提;使想起: When people hark back to something in the past, they remember it or remind someone of it.

The pleasures of “Pacific Rim,” in other words, are somewhat nostalgic, and maybe also regressive. This in itself is hardly unusual: most of the movies released by major studios from May to September cater to the childish impulses of the audience. But they also often aspire to be more than juvenile, puffing themselves up with money and fuzzy, heavy themes. Sometimes they succeed and find a measure of real grandeur. This summer, though, has so far largely been a parade of joyless bombast. In these circumstances Mr. del Toro’s exuberant nonsense comes as a relief.

「環太平洋」所帶來的樂趣，換句話說，其實有點像是帶給大家懷舊，或是有點回到過去的感覺。這現象本身並不會不常見, 大部分五月到九月大檔的電影主要的訴求也都是激起觀眾童年的回憶與悸動。但這些電影致力於追求的卻也不僅僅是訴說青少年因為錢或是一些不明確因素，以及一些深層的主題探討而自我膨脹。有時候他們成功的找到了邁向真正偉大的途徑。雖然，這個暑假到目前為止被一系列沉悶無趣又誇大其辭的電影所佔據, 但這使得導演Mr. del Toro在電影中所充斥的胡話卻也好像沒那麼重要了。

• exuberant (adj)
• 生机勃勃的;焕发活力的 If you describe something as exuberant, you like it because it is lively, exciting, and full of energy and life.

“Pacific Rim” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). The usual wanton, carefully edited slaughter of untold millions, and a lot of Kaiju blood.

「環太平洋」被分級為特別輔導級。電影中不計其數的刻意規畫過的惡意屠殺, 還有大量Kaiju所流的血。

• wanton (adj)
• 有意伤害的;肆无忌惮的；恶意的 A wanton action deliberately causes harm, damage, or waste without having any reason to.

p.s. 斜體字表示不確定或是不滿意的翻譯。

[Law] CNN: Why this verdict? Five things that led to Zimmerman's acquittal

為什麼是這樣的判決? 五個讓Zimmerman獲判無罪的最主要原因

By Chelsea J. Carter and Holly Yan, CNN

July 15, 2013 -- Updated 1408 GMT (2208 HKT)

(CNN) -- Five key issues factored into George Zimmerman's acquittal Saturday in last year's shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin:
[(CNN) 去年被指控槍殺17歲男性Trayvon Martin的George Zimmerman於星期六獲判無罪, 以下五點原因帶大家一起來了解:]

1. The charges filed (被指控的罪名)

Did the prosecution make a mistake in filing a second-degree murder charge against Zimmerman?

(當初一開始控方直接對Zimmerman訴請二級謀殺罪是否就是個錯誤?)

• 控方律師: the prosecution (n): The lawyers who try to prove that a person on trial is guilty are called the prosecution .

"I think the problem was they overcharged it in the very beginning," said Holly Hughes, a criminal defense lawyer who was not on Zimmerman's legal team. "Had prosecutors started with the manslaughter charge, the outcome might have been different, " she told CNN.

(一位非關Zimmerman案的刑事辯護律師Holly Hoghes說到: "我想問題在於他們在一開始就過度指控了。她告訴CNN: " 如果一開始是以過失殺人罪來控訴, 結果可能就會不同了。")

But Florida State Attorney Angela Corey said the allegations "fit the bill" for the second-degree murder charge.

(但佛羅里達州檢察官Angela Corey表示這二級謀殺罪的指控是"是適切的"。)

Second-degree murder is defined as a killing carried out with hatred, ill will or spite, but is not premeditated. To convict Zimmerman of manslaughter, jurors would have had to believe he "intentionally committed an act or acts that caused the death of Trayvon Martin."

(二級謀殺指的是一種出於敵意，惡意或怨恨，但並非預謀的殺害。如果要判Zimmerman以過失殺人罪, 陪審團就必須要先相信他是"蓄意犯下導致Trayvon Martin死亡的行為"。)

A verdict and more: Get caught up (更多關於Zimmerman判決的消息)

Questions surfaced about whether the charge was appropriate because knowing a person's feeling during a killing is difficult to prove.
(被指控犯下的罪名適不適當之所以會被端出檯面來討論是因為要了解一個人在進行謀殺時的心情是很難去證明其準確性的。)

As a result, the prosecution had to rely on the evidence to tell the story of what happened and what led to the shooting, HLN's Ryan Smith said.
(也因此, HLN電視台的Ryan Smith表示, 控方律師必須仰賴證據來了解整個事情發生的經過以及開槍的主因。)

Without an abundance of evidence, proving the case was difficult for both sides.
(在沒有足夠證據的情況下, 要證明被告有沒有犯罪對雙方來說都是很困難的。)

Former Los Angeles County prosecutor Loni Coombs emphasized that jurors did not find Zimmerman innocent; rather, they found him not guilty. There's a difference, she told CNN's Don Lemon.

(前洛杉磯市律師Loni Coombs強調: 陪審團並非判Zimmerman清白, 而是無罪。她告訴CNN的Don Lemon說: 這兩者之間是不同的。)

"They're not saying he's innocent, they're just saying they couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt, and therefore the law gave them no choice but to write 'not guilty,'" Coombs said.
(Coombs說: "他們並沒有說他是清白無辜的, 他們只是說, 他們只能在有限合理的懷疑之下證明這件事, 因此依照法律除了寫下"無罪"之外並沒有其他的選擇。")

2. The evidence presented (所呈證據)

Zimmerman's account of what happened the night of the shooting was a central part of the trial. He was the only living person who witnessed the entire incident, and there wasn't much physical evidence for either team to fall back on.

(關於事發當晚的槍擊事件, Zimmerman的證詞是審判過程最重要的依據。他是目睹整個事發經過唯一還活著的證人，對於控方或是辯方來說也沒有其他具體的證據可仰賴。)

Various adverse conditions played into the initial investigation that night: A dark, rainy scene isn't ideal for a homicide investigation, says HLN law enforcement analyst Mike Brooks.
(最初對於事發當晚所進行的審查受到各種不利的情形所影響: HLN電視台的執法分析師Mike Brooks表示一個漆黑又下著雨的場景對於進行他殺的調查並不理想。)

Much was made during the trial about why there was so little blood on Martin and Zimmerman, who said he fired in self defense because he was being beaten and feared for his life.
(在審訊期間也討論很多關於為什麼在Martin以及Zimmerman身上的血不多; 根據後者的說法, 他是因為持續被毆打為了自衛而開槍。)

Dr. Vincent Di Maio, a former medical examiner in San Antonio and an expert on gunshot wounds, testified that the rain could have washed away and affected evidence collected from Martin's hands.
(前聖安東尼奧的醫事檢察官及槍傷專家Dr. Vincent Di Maio, 出庭作證表示雨有可能會洗掉並影響從Martin雙手所採驗的證明。)

Attorney Faith Jenkins said it doesn't matter what a prosecutor believes if he or she doesn't have adequate evidence.
(律師Faith Jenkins表示, 在沒有足夠的證據下, 一個檢察官到底相信甚麼其實是無關緊要的。)

"Trials are not necessarily about the truth all the time," the former prosecutor told CNN. "It's about what you can prove in court."
(前檢察官告訴CNN: "審判看的不一定是真相, 而是看你能在法庭上提出甚麼證明。)

There was so little evidence available that the defense put together an animated video to re-enact the events of that night based on witness statements, police reports and Zimmerman's account, they said.
(他們說: 證人證言, 警方報告以及Zimmerman的供詞能提供的證據真的太少了, 少到辯方無法做成動畫以影片的方式重現當晚的發生經過。)

The judge ruled against the use of the video.
(法官決定不使用動畫影片來判決。)

Zimmerman could still be held responsible for Martin's death
(Zimmerman可能仍被認為需為Martin的死負責)

3. The teen who spoke to Martin (跟Martin談過話的青少年)

She was on the phone with Martin moments before he was shot and was considered a key prosecution witness. But Rachel Jeantel initially resisted coming forward.
(在Martin被射殺前不久, 她才跟Martin通過電話, 也因此被認為是檢方的關鍵證人。但Rachel Jeantel一開始時是拒絕配合的。)

"She did not want to get involved in this in no way possible," Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump told reporters Saturday. During two days of testimony that was at times tense and combative, Jeantel described her conversation with Martin.
(Martin的家庭法律律師Benjamin Crump星期六時告訴記者: 「她根本就不想被牽扯進來。」Jeantel作證兩天, 在法庭上她時而緊繃又時而好辯地說明了她與Martin之間的對話。)

When defense attorney Don West challenged her story, suggesting Martin attacked Zimmerman, she responded: "That's retarded."
(當辯方律師Don West挑戰她說的故事並表示Martin攻擊Zimmerman時, 她回答: 「是白癡才那麼想。」)

Jeantel testified that Martin told her he was being chased by a "creepy-a** cracker."
(Jeantel的證詞表示Martin告訴她他正在被一個詭異的瘋子追。)

"This was a disaster," criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos told CNN's Anderson Cooper the day Jeantel testified. "This was the star witness, the star witness. The wheels came off and it was a train wreck. And there's no other -- there's no way to soft-pedal it."
(刑事辯護律師Mark Geragos在Jeantel出庭作證當天告訴CNN主播Anderson Cooper: 「這真的是個災難。她是個眾所矚目的證人耶, 眾所矚目耶! 就像是現在有一整排轉動快速的輪子, 大家也都知道再這樣下去火車失事, 但是就是沒有其他的方式可以駛速度慢下來。」

Analysis: The race factor (種族因素分析)

4. The voice on the call (電話中的聲音)

The mothers of Zimmerman and Martin each testified that screams for help heard on a 911 call the night of the shooting were those of her son.
(Zimmerman 跟 Martin的母親雙雙都作證說槍殺案當晚打119求救電話中的尖叫聲是她們的兒子。)

Whose voice was heard on the call was considered key for both the prosecution and defense in proving who was responsible for the shooting. If the screams were Martin's, as the prosecution contended, Zimmerman was the aggressor. If the screams were Zimmerman's, as the defense said, Martin was the aggressor.
(對於控方與辯方來說, 電話聲中是誰的聲音對於證明誰是槍殺的肇始者可說是相當關鍵。如果尖叫聲如控方宣稱是Martin的, 那麼Zimmerman就是攻擊者。如果尖叫聲如辯方所說是Zimmerman的, 那麼Martin就會是攻擊者。)

On July 5, in a packed courtroom, the prosecution played the recording for Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton.
(七月五號, 在擁擠的法庭裡, 控方播放這段錄音給Martin的媽媽Sybrina Fulton聽。)

When asked if she recognized the voice, Fulton said it belonged to "Trayvon Benjamin Martin."

(當問到她是否認識這個聲音時, Fulton說這聲音是"Trayvon Benjamin Martin"的。)

Hours later, the defense called Gladys Zimmerman to the stand, where she testified the voice screaming for help belonged to her son.

(過了幾小時, 辯方傳喚Gladys Zimmerman到法庭作證, 她也證明那求救的尖叫聲是她兒子的。)

"I know because he's my son," she said.
(她說: 「我認得出來, 因為他是我兒子。」)

As a result, there was no definitive answer for jurors.
(最終, 陪審團並沒有得到一個確切的答案。)

5. Testimony (證詞)

The lead detective in the case, Chris Serino, was called to the stand by the prosecution.

Serino told the court that he believed Zimmerman exaggerated the number of times he was hit that night but didn't feel any "active deception."

(此案件的主要調查員Chis Serino被傳喚至法庭為控方作證。Serino告訴法庭, 他認為Zimmerman有誇大他當晚被打的次數但卻沒有令人感到有「干擾欺騙」的意圖。)

"Either he was telling the truth or he was a complete pathological liar," he testified.
(他說: 「他要嘛就是在說實話, 不然他就是個天生撒謊成性的人。」)

[Law] The New York Times: 50 Years Later, a Break in a Boston Strangler Case

50 Years Later, a Break in a Boston Strangler Case

By JESS BIDGOOD
Published: July 11, 2013

Mary Sullivan, seen here in a photo displayed at a 2000 news conference, was the final victim of the Boston Strangler, officials said Thursday. They plan more DNA tests on the evidence.
(在星期四的正式新聞聲明中表示，照片中的女性就是波士頓勒殺案的最後一位受害者Mary Sullivan。這張照片發表於2000年的新聞記者會中。)

1) BOSTON — Investigators said Thursday that they had linked the man believed by many to have been the Boston Strangler to DNA found in the home of a woman thought to be the Strangler’s last victim in a string of unsolved murders that petrified this city in the early 1960s and has perplexed it ever since.

波士頓新聞：調查小組在星期四表示他們已經找出被大多數人採信是波士頓勒殺案的罪犯與在自家遇害女子的DNA之間的關聯性。這位受害女子被認為是在1960年代早期在波士頓發生的一連串懸而未決的勒殺案當中的最後一位受害者。 波士頓也因為這一連串的勒殺案飽受驚嚇，自此此案件也迷樣般困惑著所有人。

2) Over the course of about 20 months from 1962 to 1964, 11 women ages 19 to 85 were brutally murdered here and in nearby cities, many sexually assaulted and killed in their homes. Mary Sullivan, 19, the last of the victims, was found raped and murdered in her apartment in January 1964.

在1962年到1964年之間的20個月當中，11位年齡介於19到85歲之間的女性在波士頓以及鄰近城市被殘暴殺害，這當中有許多女性是被性侵並死於家中。最後一位受害者，年約19歲的Mary Sullivan, 於1964年1月在家中被姦殺。 

3) “We may have just solved one of the nation’s most notorious serial killings,” said Martha Coakley, the Massachusetts attorney general, at a news conference at Boston Police Headquarters.

麻塞諸塞州(簡稱麻州)的司法部長Martha Coakley在波士頓警察總署的記者招待會說；「我們可能只是解決了這個國家其中一起最兇殘的連續殺人案件。」

• 司法部長; 檢察總長: attorney general (A.G.)

4) District Attorney Daniel F. Conley of Suffolk County said investigators, who included members of the Boston Police Department’s cold case team and the attorney general’s office, had recently tested seminal fluid samples taken from Ms. Sullivan’s body, and the blanket on which it was found.

麻州沙福克縣的地方檢察官Daniel F. Conley表示偵查小組包括波士頓警署冷案組以及司法部最近已經從Sullivan女士身上和找到的毯子上採樣精液。

• 地方檢察官: District Attorney (D.G.)

5) They identified a near-certain match with Albert DeSalvo, the man who confessed to the murders (and two more), but was never prosecuted for the crimes.

偵查小組發現有一個人幾乎完全符合精液採樣比對: 他就是坦承犯了兩起以上的兇殺案卻從未被起訴的Albert DeSalvo.

• 把…(与…密)切联系;认为…(与…)有关联: (v) If you identify one person or thing with another, you think that they are closely associated or involved in some way.
• 起诉；控告；检举: (V) prosecute
• 他因两项刑事罪名受到起诉: He is being prosecuted for two criminal offences.

5) For almost five decades, the only link between Albert DeSalvo and Mary Sullivan was his confession,” Mr. Conley said. “That confession has been the subject of skepticism and controversy from almost the moment it was given.”

Martha Conley說: 「將近這五十年以來, Albert DeSalvo和Mary Sullivan唯一的關連性就是前者的供詞, 而這供詞幾乎是從被說出口的當下就一直被懷疑以及備受爭議。」

6) The new testing brings an element of modern scientific proof to one murder in a case that seemed likely never to be solved, especially after Mr. DeSalvo was killed in 1973 in prison, where he had been sentenced to life for unrelated sexual assault and robbery charges.

Albert DeSalvo曾因一些與他毫無關聯的性侵案以及多起搶劫案而被判處無期徒刑。一件謀殺案更在他1973年在獄中被殺之後，真相彷彿永遠石沉大海；而新進行的案件偵查藉由現代科學的證據為這起謀殺案帶來了一線曙光。

7) It comes as the city revisits two other notorious crimes. Earlier this year, authorities announced they had identified the thieves who robbed the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. And the crime boss James (Whitey) Bulger is standing trial on a sweeping racketeering indictment after he spent more than 16 years on the lam.

這得回溯到福克縣的另外兩起殘暴犯罪案。在今年初，官方宣布他們已經確認了在1990年犯下Isabella Stewart Gardner 博物館搶案的搶匪；而犯罪首腦James (Whitey) Bulger在歷經逃亡超過16年之後因被控以大範圍的敲詐勒索罪而現正接受

審判中。

• 接受審判: stand trial 
• 敲詐勒索犯: (n) recketeer
• 起訴: (n) indictment
• 逃亡, 在逃: on the lam (= at large)

8) Don Hayes, of the Boston Police Department crime lab, found the blanket among a trove of police evidence in 1998, and the department received slides with the sample taken from Ms. Sullivan’s body in the early 2000s. But early attempts to recover usable DNA samples were inconclusive. So Mr. Hayes stored the samples and waited for technology to improve. Last fall, investigators sent the samples to two private labs for another try — and this time got a DNA profile for an unknown male.

1998年，波士頓警署犯罪研究室的Don Hayes在一批警方證據中發現了那條毯子；2000年代早期，警署也從Mary Sullivan身上採樣到微細證據。但一開始他們想要嘗試看看能否復原之前這些可用的DNA樣本，卻是無法做出定論；所以Don Hayes將這些樣本保存起來等待著未來科技的進步或許能幫得上忙。去年秋天，調查人員將樣本送到兩間私人實驗室，試試看能得到甚麼。而這次，我們得到了一位不知名男性的DNA序列。

9) “The evidence in this case never changed, but the scientific ability to use that evidence has surpassed every hope and expectation of investigators who were first assigned to the case,” Mr. Conley said.

Martha Coakley表示：「這起案件的證據從來都沒有改變過，但現代科學能做到的卻已經超越了每個調查人員的希望與期待。」

10) Those DNA profiles matched one from a water bottle that had recently been used and discarded by a nephew of Mr. DeSalvo’s, which investigators had obtained by trailing him. Investigators said they used a test of male chromosomes passed from generation to generation, and found a match that gave them virtual certainty of Mr. DeSalvo’s guilt.

調查人員跟蹤Albert DeSalvo的姪子時取得他使用過並丟棄的水瓶中也驗出相同的DNA序列。調查小組表示他們透過世代遺傳的DNA圖譜，發現相符合的染色體讓他們找到相符的對象，也讓他們更加肯定是Albert DeSalvo所犯下的罪。

• 感謝生科系博士候選人廖振捷先生的奉獻，讓DNA profiles正名為DNA"序列"，而非原先由我這個門外漢翻的"排列"；以及對於人類染色體的詳盡解說，拯救了我那個因為想破腦還是想不出來到最後只好用"代代相傳"的翻譯能變得不那麼爆笑。(獻花)

11) A Superior Court judge in Boston granted permission on Wednesday to exhume Mr. DeSalvo’s remains so that a final identification could be made. That process could conclude as early as next week.

波士頓高等法官星期三時正式批准挖出Albert DeSalvo的遺骸以做出最終判決。最快下星期可得到結論。

• 正式批准: grant permission
• 挖掘; 挖出, 掘出(屍體): (v) exhume

12) In the early 2000s, investigators hired by the families of Mr. DeSalvo and Ms. Sullivan discovered DNA on Ms. Sullivan’s body that did not belong to her or to Mr. DeSalvo. That and inconsistencies between Mr. DeSalvo’s confession and police fact-finding about the case led some investigators to conclude he had not committed that murder.

2000年代前期，由Albert DaSalvo的家人以及Marry Sullivan所聘僱的調查人員在Sullivan女士的身上發現了並不屬於她也不屬於Albert DaSalvo的DNA。 這項發現，以及Albert DaSalvo的供詞與警方找到的證據之間的不一致，讓有些調查人員認為他並沒有犯下這起謀殺案。

13) It all added to a body of speculation that the Boston Strangler was more than one man — a possibility that was often raised by lawyers for the DeSalvo family and by Casey Sherman, who is the son of Ms. Sullivan’s sister.

這所有的事情加在一起引發了大幅度的猜測，且這可能性是常被DeSalvo家族的律師以及Sullivan女士的妹妹的兒子Casey Sherman所提及的：波士頓勒殺者不只有一人。

14) But the new evidence “provides an incredible amount of closure to myself and my mother,” said Mr. Sherman, 44, an author who wrote a book about the Strangler case. “I’ve lived with Mary’s memory every day, my whole life.”

44歲的Sherman女士，同時也是寫過一本關於勒殺者案件的書的作者說：但這新的證據「對於我自己跟我媽媽來說，提供的是一種令人難以置信的結論。」「我這一生每天，都活在Mary的記憶裡。」

15) The lawyer who represents the DeSalvo family, Elaine Whitfield Sharp, said that the family took umbrage at having been trailed for a DNA sample — and that while the evidence was strong, she did not find it conclusive.

代表DeSalvo家族的律師Elaine Whitfield Sharp說DeSalvo家族的人對於曾經被跟蹤採樣DNA這件事感到很憤怒，並表示就算證據確鑿，仍無法令人信服。

16) “Just because you find DNA that matches somebody on their body doesn’t mean that they murdered them,” Ms. Sharp said.

Sharp女士說：「就只是因為你在某個人身體裡找到了相符合的DNA也不代表他犯下謀殺案。」

17) While the authorities say the evidence about Mr. DeSalvo’s role in Ms. Sullivan’s death is all but decisive, they acknowledged that it applied only to her murder, not to any of the others to which Mr. DeSalvo confessed.

官方表示所有的證據說明了Albert DeSalvo在Sullivan女士的死所佔的角色是極為肯定的，但他們也承認這僅能證明Sullivan女士的死與他有關，但並不能用來證明其他任何Albert DaSalvon所坦承犯下的謀殺案與他的相關性。

18) “We don’t claim with certainty that Albert DeSalvo is a suspect in each of them,” Mr. Conley said. “But we do believe that we stand on the threshold of unprecedented certainty regarding Mary Sullivan’s murder.”

Conley說：「我們並不能肯定Albert DeSalvo就是這每一起謀殺案的嫌犯，但關於Mary Sullivan謀殺案，我們的確確認了以前難以確定的事情，而這只是個開端。」

•  (某事发生或改变的)界限，阈，起始点：(n) A threshold is an amount, level, or limit on a scale. When the threshold is reached, something else happens or changes.

[Book Review] The Pact

Book Reviews: The Pact

The Pact by acclaimed author Jodi Picoult is by no means your everyday love story. It is one full of thrills, mystery and tragedy. Picoult, author of My Sister's Keeper and Plain Truth, keeps you intrigued and curious. This fast-paced book is perfect for all age groups. 

1) "契約", 這本由備受讚譽的作家Jodi Picoult所寫的小說, 絕對是你必看之愛情小說, 就像是那街訪鄰居, 真真實實有可能發生在你我左右的故事。這本書中充斥著令讀者感到驚悚, 迷樣般的神秘不可思議, 以及悲劇的情節。著有"姊姊的守護者"以及"完全真相"的Picoult, 將使你在讀"契約"這本書的當下深深被其吸引, 後續發展如何也將是你最在意的一件事。不管是哪一個年齡層的讀者, 這本節奏鮮明快速的書都非常的適合你。 

The Pact is about Chris and Em who have been best friends since infancy. Their families are neighbors and inseparable. As they mature, they realize they have fallen in love. They do everything and go everywhere together, and can't live without the other. 

2) 在"契約"這本書中, Chris和Em從出生開始就一直是彼此最好的朋友，他們的父母也不僅僅是鄰居，更存在著密不可分的情感。當兩個孩子長大後，他們發現自己早已經愛上對方。他們不管做甚麼都在一起，去哪裡也都在一起，也無法想像沒有彼此的生活。

When Em suddenly dies, though, Chris is the prime suspect. It's agonizing to read about him missing her as he suffers in jail. Each chapter flips between the past and the present, and when the time periods eventually meet, you are able to solve the mystery.

3) 但是當Em突然間死去時，Chis卻是最大的嫌疑犯。對讀者來說，看著他在監獄中努力存活時對她的種種思念，是如此得令人難受與煎熬。過去與現在在每個章節來回穿梭，而當最後兩個時間軸終於串連在一起時，也就是你解開背後秘密的時刻。

Along with the problems of the teens, Picoult also describes the difficulties that arise between the two families and the suffering they experience. Picoult does a wonderful job illustrating the anguish that they feel, the suspense in the courtroom during the trial, and the life that Chris experiences in jail.

4) Picoult同時也闡述了由於這兩位青少年的問題而引發這兩家人之間的感情變化以及他們所經歷的痛苦與掙扎。在描述所有人內心所感受的極端痛楚，審判期間在法庭內充滿懸疑的情節辯論，以及Chis在監獄中所經歷的種種，Picoult無一不完美詮釋。

Picoult touches on topics that most parents hope never to face. It might make you question just how well you know your friends and even your own family. This novel is written so well that it feels realistic and is impossible to put down. 
I recommend this deeply moving novel to anyone interested in love, tragedy, suspense and compassion. There is a very good chance it will bring you to tears. After reading it you'll want to find the many other beautifully written books by Picoult. Her style is unique and fascinating.

5) Picoult碰觸到的是幾乎是所有父母希望永遠都不需要面對的議題，也就是這樣的議題或許會讓你開始思考自己究竟有多了解你的朋友甚至是家人。這本小說成功地讓讀者感受到其真實性，更讓讀者無法將書自手中放下。我推薦這本撼動人心的小說給任何喜愛與愛，悲劇，懸疑，以及惻隱之心相關人事物的讀者來閱讀。你非常有可能會熱淚盈眶。在讀完這本小說之後，你會想要找到更多其他擁有Picoult個人風格以及迷人的美麗著作。