又中又英｜The fabled ship

It's been over a century since the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean but interest in the fabled ship remains high. The Titanic sank in 1912, but it wasn't until 1985 that an expedition led by National Geographic discovered it on the ocean floor 12,500 feet below the surface. National Geographic has described interest in the sunken ship as insatiable, which means a need, such as hunger, thirst, or interest, that is impossible to satisfy. The Titanic was considered unsinkable but sank just five days after it set sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York after hitting an iceberg, killing over 1,500 people.

Wealthy people have, for many years, paid a lot of money for submersibles (tiny submarines) to see the fabled ship because of insatiable interest in the Titanic. James Cameron, who directed the Oscar-winning movie Titanic, made 33 trips to see the Titanic. Five wealthy people recently paid US$250,000 each to see the fabled ship. Sadly, their submersible imploded (exploded inwards), killing them. The word "fabled" is used to describe something or someone that has become famous because of insatiable interest. A fabled ship is a famous ship because people are interested in it.

To set sail means to begin a trip on a ship or boat. A maiden voyage is a ship's first journey. Experts say wealthy tourists who pay for submersibles to see the Titanic are making the fabled ship disintegrate (break up) faster. I feel sad for the families of the five who died when their submersible imploded, but I hope wealthy people will let those who died on the Titanic rest in peace.

铁达尼号沉于北大西洋海底已经超过一世纪，但对于这艘著名的船（fabled ship）的兴趣却历久不衰。铁达尼号于1912年沉没，但直至1985年，由国家地理学会成员领导的探险航程才终于在12500呎的深海底发现到它。国家地理学会形容，对于这艘沉船的兴致是insatiable，意即对于某一样需求，例如饥饿、口渴或兴趣等，是贪得无厌、无法满足的。铁达尼号被认为是永不沉没的，但在修咸顿开往纽约的处女航（maiden voyage）上，只不过启航（set sail）了五天，便因为撞上冰山而沉没，超过1500人遇难。

多年来，出于对铁达尼号入迷的（insatiable）兴趣，不少有钱人付了许多的钱要搭乘潜水器（submersibles）去看这艘名船（fabled ship）。执导奥斯卡得奖电影《铁达尼号》的占士‧金马伦，就曾深潜33次去看铁达尼号。五个有钱人最近就付了每人25万美元，要一睹名船（fabled ship）真貌。不幸地，他们的潜水器（submersible）内爆（imploded），导致五人身亡。Fabled是用来形容某事物或某人因为他人入迷（insatiable）的兴趣而出名。A fabled ship就是著名的船，因为许多人都对它兴致勃勃。 

To set sail意即船只启航。A maiden voyage就是船只的首航、处女航。专家指，有钱的游客付钱搭乘潜水器（submersibles）去看铁达尼号，会令这艘名船（fabled ship）更快瓦解（disintegrate）。我为那在潜水器（submersible）内爆（imploded）时身亡的五位死者的家属感到难过，但我也希望有钱人可以让铁达尼号的遇难者安息。

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻