又中又英｜Take a cue from

New York City should take a cue from a small city in France called Beziers. The expression "take a cue from" means to follow the example of another person or place. The mayor of Beziers has done something that political leaders everywhere should take a cue from. The streets of Beziers are strewn with dog poop. Poop is a slang word for excrement. If streets are strewn with dog poop, it means dog poop is scattered everywhere. Inconsiderate dog owners don't bother to clean up after their dogs leave poop on the streets. The mayor recently introduced a new rule requiring dogs walking on the streets to have their DNA on file with the government.

Owners walking their dogs must carry a document to prove they have complied with the rule. Street cleaners who find poop on the streets will test it for DNA. The government can then trace the dog owner who will be fined 122 euros (HK$1,058). Dog owners who don't have a document to prove their dogs have been tested for DNA will be fined 38 euros (HK$334). Cities with similar policies include Tel Aviv in Israel, Valencia in Spain, and some areas of London.

When I was living in Manhattan last year, I saw dog poop everywhere. I had to look down when I walked to avoid stepping on poop. Some years ago, when I lived in Hong Kong's Mid-levels, I often saw poop on the streets. I stepped on dog poop on Conduit Road and nearly stepped on dog poop on Chancery Lane where I lived. Hong Kong dog owners have become more considerate in recent years.

纽约市好应从法国一个小城市贝济耶那里取经（take a cue from）。习语“take a cue from”是指参考另一个人或地方的做法，以对方为榜样。贝济耶市长做了一件事，世界各地的政治领袖都应借镜（take a cue from）。贝济耶的街道撒满了狗屎（strewn with dog poop）。Poop是粪便的俚语，若街道都是 strewn with dog poop，意即那里遍地都是狗屎（dog poop）。罔顾他人的狗主在他们的狗只随街拉屎（poop）后，也不在乎要去清理。市长最近推行一条新规例，要求那些在街上散步的狗只要向政府登记DNA。

遛狗的狗主必须携带已遵从规定的登记证明文件。街道清洁员在街上找到的狗屎（poop），会检测其DNA，政府就可以追溯到狗主，可罚款122欧罗（1058港元）。未能出示狗只DNA证明的狗主，则面临罚款28欧罗（334港元）。有类近政策的城市包括以色列的特拉维夫、西班牙的华伦西亚，以及伦敦的一些地区。

我上年住在曼哈顿时，狗屎（dog poop）随地可见，我得望着地下走路，免得踩屎（poop）。好些年前，我还住在香港半山区时，在街上就不时见到粪便（poop）。我在干德道踩过狗屎（dog poop），在我住的赞善里也差点儿踏上狗屎（dog poop）。香港的狗主近年变得比较顾己及人。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻