又中又英｜Twists and turns

There are many twists and turns in politics. A politician can be riding high one day and hit rock bottom the next day. US President Joe Biden hit rock bottom when he and former President Donald Trump had the first presidential election debate on June 27. Trump didn’t quite hit rock bottom when he debated Vice President Kamala Harris on September 10, but Harris was riding high during the debate. The expression “twists and turns” used this way means surprising and sudden changes. To be riding high means to be very successful. To hit rock bottom means to reach the lowest or worst possible level.

Trump was riding high, but Biden hit rock bottom when he looked confused and couldn’t finish many sentences during their debate. The situation changed completely during the second debate when Harris replaced Biden as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. She agitated and annoyed Trump with sharp criticisms, clever answers, and impressive facial expressions. An angry-looking and frustrated Trump did not know how to fight back. He almost hit rock bottom. All the polls showed Harris won the debate by a wide margin. Trump won big in the first debate but lost big in the second. The twists and turns in politics.

The Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom, used an interesting idiom to describe Trump’s defeat. He said Trump got his clock cleaned. If you got your clock cleaned, it means you were thoroughly defeated in a fight or a competition. Trump got Biden’s clock cleaned in the first debate but got his clock cleaned by Harris in the second debate.

政治总是有许许多多的迂回曲折（twists and turns），一个政客可以今天还是一帆风顺（riding high），明天就堕进谷底（hit rock bottom）。美国总统祖‧拜登在六月二十七日跟前总统唐纳德‧特朗普进行过第一场总统选举辩论后，就跌至最低点（hit rock bottom）。特朗普跟副总统贺锦丽于九月十日辩论过后，并未跌至谷底（hit rock bottom），但贺锦丽在辩论期间却可算大获全胜（riding high）。习语“twists and turns”在这里是指令人意外的突然转变。To be riding high是指非常顺利、成功。To hit rock bottom是指跌至最低点或差得不能再差的境地。

在辩论之时，特朗普确是行情看涨（riding high），反观拜登却跌到谷底（hit rock bottom），因他看起来却非常困惑，许多句子也未能说完。但当贺锦丽取代拜登成为民主党的总统候选人之后，第二场辩论完全形势逆转。她用了尖锐的批评、机智的答覆以及令人印象深刻的面部表情，鼓动和惹恼了特朗普。看来相当愤怒和受挫的特朗普不懂得要怎样还击。他差不多要跌至最低点（hit rock bottom）了。所有民调都反映，贺锦丽大比数地赢了那场辩论。特朗普在第一场辩论中大获全胜，却在第二场中输惨了。这就是峰回路转（twists and turns）的政治。

加州州长、民主党的加文‧纽森，用了一个有趣的成语去形容特朗普的战败。他说特朗普 got his clock cleaned——若你 got your clock cleaned，意即你在一场争斗或赛事中被彻底打垮。特朗普在第一场辩论中把拜登打得落花流水（clock cleaned），在第二场中却倒过来被贺锦丽重创、狠狠击溃（got his clock cleaned）。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻