中英对照读新闻》In this centuries-old English pancake race, ‘you just have to go flat out’在这场有着数百年历史的英国煎饼赛中，「你只需要全力以赴」
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英国白金汉郡奥尔尼镇可追溯至1445年的年度煎饼赛，13日随「忏悔星期二」热闹登场，图中持锅者为今年前三名得主。（美联社）(photo:LTN)◎周虹汶
Women in matching checkered aprons, headscarves and a rainbow of running shoes limbered up Tuesday as they prepared for the centuries-old pancake race in this English country town.
妇女们週二穿着相配的格子围裙、头巾和各式各样的跑鞋伸展身子，为在这个英国乡村小镇举行的数百年历史煎饼赛做准备。
They rolled their shoulders in unison, raised up on their toes and did squats before stepping to the starting line — frying pans in hand.
他们一致地转动肩膀、抬起脚尖和蹲下，然后手拿煎锅踏上起跑线。
At the word “Go” they sprinted through the streets, trying not to drop their pancakes as they roughly traced the path taken by a harried housewife in 1445, who legend has it heard the church bells signaling the Shrove Tuesday service and raced off with her skillet.
「出发」一词响起，她们就冲刺过街并努力别让煎饼掉落，同时粗略地追踪着1445年一位苦恼家庭主妇走过的路，传说她听到教堂钟响，显示「忏悔星期二」仪式将开始，于是带着煎锅赶紧上路。
“It’s a horrible distance,” said Kaisa Larkas, 44, a mother of four who legged it past Eloise Kramer to capture the Olney title with a time of 63.37 seconds. “You just have to go flat out and then hope that you’re not gonna fall over. … But it’s good fun.”
44岁的4宝妈凯萨．拉卡斯说，「这是一段可怕的距离」，她以63.37秒的成绩超越埃洛伊斯．克莱默，在奥尔尼夺得冠军。「妳只需要全力以赴，然后希望不会摔倒。……但这很有趣。」
新闻辞典
flat out：片语动词，指全速、全力以赴。例句：His car only does about 60 mph, even when it’s going flat out.（他的车即使全速行驶，也只能跑到每小时60英里左右。）
limber up：片语动词，指运动前做伸展运动、做准备活动。例句：Those substitutes are beginning to limber up on the sidelines.（那些替补队员开始在场边做准备。）
