又中又英｜Spring to mind

Spring to mind

Cities that are popular with tourists have many attractions that make tourists go back multiple times. Paris has the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and scenic river cruises along the Seine. Japan has many cities, such as Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido, and Kyoto, that attract tourists with ski resorts, Mount Fuji, and Japanese cuisine. New York has Times Square, Broadway shows, and the Fifth Avenue shopping area. London has Buckingham Palace, West End shows, and museums. Does Hong Kong have attractions that make tourists visit multiple times? Victoria Harbour, The Peak, the many restaurants with different cuisines, and the Rugby Sevens spring to mind.

Truth be told, Hong Kong’s attractions are fraying at the seams. Ocean Park is no longer as popular. Disneyland Park is still struggling to make a profit. The jury is still out on whether the West Kowloon Cultural District can attract tourists from around the world. The expression “spring to mind” means to come quickly into your mind. The expression “truth be told” means to give your honest opinion. If something is fraying at the seams or edges, it means it is becoming less successful or effective. The expression “the jury is still out” means a decision has not been made about an issue.

Bangkok is famous for its street food and night life. Taipei’s night markets are popular with international visitors. Street vendors can add colour and soul to a city, but Hong Kong is phasing out its remaining hawkers. Global tourism is rising now that the coronavirus pandemic has eased. Hong Kong needs new ideas if it wants to compete with other cities.
 

受游客欢迎的城市，都有许多景点吸引游客多遍重游。巴黎有罗浮宫、圣母院、艾菲尔铁塔，以及欣赏塞纳河畔秀丽风光的游船。日本亦有许多城市，例如东京、大阪、北海道和京都，以滑雪胜地、富士山和日式美食吸引游客。纽约有时代广场、百老滙剧目以及第五大道的购物区。伦敦则有白金汉宫、西区剧目以及众多博物馆。香港可有甚么旅游景点，可令游客一游再游？脑海中便立即浮现（spring to mind）了维多利亚港、山顶、众多餐厅的各国美食，以及国际七人榄球赛。

老实说（truth be told），香港的旅游景点正在失色（fraying at the seams）。海洋公园已经不再受欢迎了。迪士尼乐园仍在艰苦获利。西九文化区是否能吸引全球各地的游客，尚不明确（the jury is still out）。习语“spring to mind”即某事情快速跃入脑海，让你突然想起。习语“truth be told”即实话实说，给予最诚实的意见。若某事 is fraying at the seams或edges，那就是说它愈来愈不成功或失效，就如衣服因磨损而破洞、披口一般。习语“the jury is still out”即某事情悬而未决，尚未达成结论。

曼谷以街头食物和夜生活闻名。台北夜市亦广受国际游客欢迎。街边摊贩可以为一个城市增添色彩与灵魂，可惜香港正在逐步淘汰它仅馀的小贩。现在新冠肺炎疫情已缓解，全球旅游业全面复苏。若香港想跟其他城市竞争，就需要新点子。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻