英倫翻譯社/ Trsmaster

◎陳維真

As the price of gold reaches new record highs, recreational prospecting for gold has turned into an ever more popular pastime. Not just in the US or Australia, but also across parts of the Alps in Switzerland.

隨著國際金價再創新高，娛樂性質的淘金活動也空前熱門，而且不只美國和澳洲，現在淘金熱更延燒到瑞士的阿爾卑斯山。

The so-called Napfgebiet, an hour south of Zurich, is a picturesque area carrying tiny splinters of the shiny metal. Toni Obertuefer is the organizer of gold washing tours. He has been in the business for 20 years and says he’s having one of the busiest summers of his career.

這個名為「Napfgebiet」的地方，位於蘇黎世南方僅1小時車程，風景如畫， 還蘊藏黃金這種閃亮金屬的微小碎片。東尼是淘金行程的負責人，入行已20年，他說，今年夏天是他從事這行以來最忙碌的1年。

School groups, companies and families, equipped with boots, pans and shovels, flock to the creeks of the area to try their luck, hoping to make that once-in-a lifetime discovery of a big golden nugget.

學校團體、公司、家族，裝備著靴子、盆子和鏟子，蜂擁進入這裡的小溪來試試運氣，希望能有一生一次的發現，找到大金塊。

To find one kilogram of gold in Switzerland, experts say it may take five years of continuous panning. Commodities analysts believe the price of gold could rise to $1,900 /oz by year-end. It could have even more upside potential in 2012 as the price per ounce could reach $2,000.

專家說，淘金要連續5年不間斷，才能在瑞士找到1公斤的黃金。期貨分析師認為，金價可在今年底漲至每盎司1900美元，在2012年上漲空間更大，每盎司可望觸及2000美元。

There may be some setbacks in the price along the way, but the upward trend is still intact. As long as the price of gold remains at record levels, people will continue to flock here and dream on about the "big find".

儘管過程可能遭受挫敗，但上漲趨勢並未改變。只要金價仍維持在創紀錄的高價，人們仍會成群而來，夢想能有個「大收穫。」

新聞辭典：

picturesque：形容詞，形容美景如詩如畫。例句：He lives in a picturesque fishing village.（他住在一個風景如畫的漁村。）

try （one’s） luck：片語，在不知道是否會成功的情況下試試運氣。例句：His great-grandfather came to California to try his luck at finding gold. （他的曾祖父到加州來試試運氣，看能不能找到黃金。）

flock： 動詞，聚集、蜂擁。例句：They flocked around the baseball hero.（他們聚集在那位棒球好手的身邊。）