《中英對照讀新聞》Follow in 385,000 yr-old human footsteps 追隨38萬5千年前先人步履

《中英對照讀新聞》Follow in 385,000 yr-old human footsteps 追隨38萬5千年前先人步履

◎魏國金

Want to walk in the footsteps of the early humans? Tourists in Italy can do almost just that starting this weekend, after footpaths believed to have been left up to 385,000 years ago were opened to the public.

想步行在遠古先人的足跡上嗎？在據信可遠溯至38萬5千年前的先人步履小徑對外開放後，義大利的遊客從本週末起大約可如願以償。

The fossilized footprints, which Italian scientists say are among the oldest anywhere, extend along six trails at the edge of the Roccamonfina volcano in southern Italy. There is also a handprint, made when one of the primitive humans slipped on the soft earth.

這些義國科學家認為最古老、已成化石的足跡，分布在南義洛卡蒙菲納火山邊緣的6條小徑上。那裡也有一個手印，是當中一名原始人在軟泥上失足所造成。

The fossilized prints were known locally as the "Devil’s Trails" for centuries because they were thought to be supernatural. Scientists first identified them properly in 2003, and had kept the area off-limits to the public.

幾世紀以來這些化石足印被當地人稱為「惡魔足跡」，因為它們被認為是超自然現象。2003年科學家才首度妥切的確認它們，此後該區一直未對大眾開放。

Tourists cannot place their feet directly into the fossils, but can walk along the footpath from a safe distance.

遊客不能直接踩在這些化石上，但是能在安全的距離外沿著小徑走。

Paolo Mietto of the University of Padua in Italy said scientists had also discovered another set of tracks nearby that were now being excavated. He said the tracks in total point to more than six different individuals.

義大利帕杜亞大學的保羅．米耶多表示，科學家在附近也發現另一組足印，目前正進行挖掘。他說，所有的足跡顯示為逾6人所留。

新聞辭典

follow in sb.’s footsteps︰步某人後塵、效法某人。例句︰Mark has tried to follow in his father’s footsteps as a pilot. （馬克試圖追隨父親，成為一名飛行員。）

off-limits︰禁止進入的、禁區。Her father said that the television was off-limits until she finished her homework. （她的父親說，在她寫完作業前不得看電視。）

in total︰總數、總共，30 cubic metres in total（總共30立方米）。