英语口语畅谈世界文化之加拿大13:The Mounties加拿大骑警

英语口语畅谈世界文化

之加拿大13:The Mounties加拿大骑警

S1 : Student 7        S2 :  Student 2
S1：学生 1            S2：学生2

S1: Hi. I'm doing some research about the police. I want to write something about the Canadian police force.
S1：你好，我在做一些警察方面的研究，想写关于加拿大警察的文章。

S2:You mean "the Mounties"? The Royal Canadian Mounted Police. That should be an interesting paper.
S2：你是说“加拿大骑警”？写加拿大皇家骑警，那文章肯定很有意思。

S1: Yes, I hope so. It says here that they began in 1873, and were called the North-West Mounted police. They have played a leading role in Canada's history.
S1：是的，我也希望如此。据说加拿大皇家骑警成立于1873年，当时叫做西北骑警。他们在加拿大历史上发挥了非常重要的作用。

S2: Yes, whenever I think of Canada I drink of the Mounties.  They were the only police that dared go so far north, but they had a special job in the beginning.
S2：确实是这样，我一想起加拿大就联想起骑警。他们是唯一敢于冲到最北部的警察，可是他们最初的工作非常特殊。

S1: I know. Their responS1bility was to suppress an all-too-prevalent practice of white traders using alcohol as currency for buffalo hides.
S1：我知道。当时白人商人用酒来交换水牛皮的行为非常普遍，骑警的责任就是制止这种行为。

S2: Absolutely, they were meant to protect the local people from the large increase of white settlers.
S2：没错，就是速样。由于白人移民人数不断增加，他们就是要保护当地人民的利益。

S1: They always ride horses, right?
S1：他们总是骑在马上，对吗？

S2 : Well, in 1916 they actually began uS1ng cars, too.
S2：是这样，实际上到了1916年，他们也开始用汽车了。

S1: Throughout the early to mid 1900s they really enlarged their force. They made an air section and started uS1ng German shepherds as sniffer dogs.
S1：从20世纪初期到中期的几十年间，他们的队伍的确壮大了，有了航空兵分队，也开始用德国牧羊犬傲嗅探犬。

S2: Did you know that the new policemen in 1966 were the last ones to be trained how to ride and care for horses? S1nce then, horses have only been used for ceremonial events or public relations.
S2：1966年的新警察是最后一批接受骑术和养马训练的骑警，这些你知道吗？从那时起，马就只用于庆典或公关场合了。

S1: That's interesting, because we still think of them riding horses to work everyday !
S1：这真有意思，我们还以为他们现在还是每天骑马去上班呢。

S2:I think that the Mounties must be unique, I don't know of another police force like them.
S2：我想骑警一定很与众不同，据我所知再也没有像他们这样的警察。

S1: They are special, yes. The RCMP is unique in the world, S1nce it is a federal, provincial, and municipal policing body.
S1：的确，他们很特别。加拿大皇家骑警是世界上独一无二的，因为他们是一个集联邦警察、省警、市警于一体的警察机构。

S2: Oh, I see. Also, the force LS organized into four regions, the Pacific, Northwestem, Central, and Adantic.
S2：噢，我知道了，这个警察机构还包括4个地区组织：太平洋地区、西北部、中部和大西洋地区。

S1: So, I guess they must cover all of Canada, then. It says here that in 2000, there were about twenty thousand members of the RCMP, including civilian members and public servants.
S1：那我想他们一定遍布加拿大全国。据说2000年时大约有两万名皇家骑警，包括文职人员和公务员。

S2: That seems pretty big.  But I guess Canada is a big place.
S2：队伍似乎很庞大。不过我想加拿大奉身也是个大国家。

Sl: The RCMP is truly a modem police force that is capable of handling many different types of crime.  I think learning more about them is going to be interesting.
S1：皇家骑警是真正的现代警察机构，能够处理各种犯罪活动。我认为多了解一下这方面的知识会很有意思。

【单词词组讲解】
all-too-prevalent到处盛行的
white trader白人商人
German shepherd德国牧羊犬
Sniffer dog 奥探犬

【背景介绍】
加拿大皇家骑警（RoyalCanadianMountedPolice，RCMP；法文：GendarmerieroyaleduCanada，GRC）

既是加拿大的联邦警察（FederalPolice），在加拿大各地负责执行联邦法规，又通过与三个特区、八个省（安大略及魁北克除外）、二百个城镇、及近二百个原住民社区签订的合约提供全加拿大的国民警察服务（NationalPoliceService），保持加拿大人民及社区的安全；加拿大皇家骑警是联邦制国家中独有的集联邦警察、省警、市警于一体的警察服务机构。加拿大皇家骑警亦是加拿大的国家象征之一。

加拿大皇家骑警的前身是于1873年建立的“西北骑警”，那时只是设立农村警务的一个“临时性的尝试”。