又中又英｜Eyebrow - raising

US President Donald Trump loves making eye-popping news. He has made eye-popping news daily since becoming president again on January 20. But recent White House announcements made more than just eye-popping news. Some American TV channels described the announcements as eyebrow-raising. Eye-popping news means surprising, shocking, or impressive news. Eyebrows are the line of hair above a person’s eyes. If something raises eyebrows, it means it causes shock or surprise. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller raised eyebrows when he said the Trump Administration may suspend the writ of habeas corpus to speed up deportation of illegal immigrants.

Habeas corpus is a common law process in the US Constitution. It gives everyone, including illegal immigrants, the legal right to challenge being detained or jailed by the government. It can only be suspended during an invasion or rebellion, and only by the Congress, not the president. That’s why legal experts raised eyebrows at Miller’s threat. Trump raised eyebrows when he appointed Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as the interim top US federal prosecutor in Washington DC. Her appointment adds to a whole slew of Fox News personalities Trump has appointed, including talk show host Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary.

The expression “a whole slew of” means numerous. But Trump raised the most eyebrows when he said he would accept a US$400 million Boeing 747 plane from Qatar to use as Air Force One. The plane, which has been described as a flying palace with gold-coloured decorations, nine bathrooms with showers, bedrooms, and offices, will go to his planned Trump Library when he leaves office. This means he can keep it for personal use. The US Constitution strictly forbids a president from accepting gifts from foreign kings, princes, and other leaders. I foresee a court challenge by Trump’s critics.

美国总统当劳．特朗普喜爱制造令人吃惊得眼凸的新闻（eye-popping news）。自他1月20日再度就任总统以来，每一天也在制造令人吃惊的新闻（eye-popping news）。然而，最近白宫的宣布，就不但是令人吃惊得眼凸的新闻（eye-popping news）了，一些美国电视频道形容，这些公告简直令人惊讶得蹙眉（eyebrow-raising）。Eye-popping news是指令人意外、震惊或印象深刻的新闻。Eyebrows是眼眉，若某事raises eyebrows，意即它令人惊讶、侧目。当白宫副幕僚长史提芬．米勒说，特朗普政府或要暂停人身保护令（the writ of habeas corpus），以加快遣返非法移民时，就令许多人侧目蹙眉（raised eyebrows）。

Habeas corpus是美国宪法的一个普通法司法程序，它赋予任何人，包括非法移民，去挑战政府拘留或囚禁的法律权利。只有在国家被入侵又或叛乱时期，以及只有通过国会而非总统，这个法令才有机会被中止。因此，法律专家们都对米勒的威吓侧目蹙眉（raised eyebrows）。当特朗普任命霍士新闻主播珍妮．皮罗为华盛顿特区的临时联邦检察官时，亦令人侧目蹙眉（raised eyebrows）。她的就任为特朗普那大量的（a whole slew of）霍士新闻派系人事任命再添一员，包括他任命皮特．海格塞斯为国防部长。

习语a whole slew of意即无数、大量的。但特朗普最令人惊讶蹙眉（raised the most eyebrows）的，是他说他会接纳卡塔尔价值4亿美元的波音747飞机作为空军一号。这架飞机被形容为飞行宫殿，有金色的装饰、9个连淋浴的厕所、睡房和办公室，而当他离职后飞机会落到他计划中的特朗普图书馆，这就意味着他可以保留它作私人用途。美国宪法严令禁止总统收受外国国王、王子或其他领袖的餽赠。我能预见由特朗普的批评者所提出的司法挑战。

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