牧羊车 英农民将汽车改造成爱犬

 　　When she began her career as a professional sheep dog Floss was impressive - the sheep responded well to her, she was faster than your average and she certainly looked good.

　　自从弗洛斯当上牧羊狗之后，就相当引人注目，她速度快、颜值佳，羊群们也很听她的话。

　　But farmer Dave Issac has reluctantly decided¹ to sell Floss as she is now too big to get through his farmyard gates - because she is a Peugeot estate car.

　　但是最近她的主人戴夫·伊萨克不得已决定将她卖掉，因为她太大了连戴夫家农场的门都进不了。怎么回事呢？原来弗洛斯实际上是一辆标致小汽车。

　　Mr Issac, 46, who lives on an 180-acre farm near Battle in East Sussex, converted the family car into a working sheep dog in tribute to his dog which had recently died.

　　今年46岁的戴夫，住在东萨塞克斯郡巴特尔附近的一个180英亩的大农场里，他把家里的车改装成了一条大狗，以纪念他刚刚去世的狗狗弗洛斯。

　　He spent ?2,000 covering the family car in fur and modifying it until it became an exact replica² of Floss, his favourite sheep dog.

　　他花了2000英镑在汽车外面加装皮毛和装饰，把这辆车变成了他最爱的狗狗弗洛斯的样子。

　　Floss the sheep dog car, who has a top speed of 40mph, soon proved to be a surprisingly effective herder as the flock of sheep failed to notice they were being rounded up by a much larger animal with headlamps for eyes and an exhaust.

　　这辆大狗车，最高时速可达40英里，而且事实证明是条非常有效的牧羊狗，因为羊群们分辨不出是一条比普通动物大的多的狗狗在驱赶它们。

　　Mr Issac said: 'I know it was a bit of a mad thing to do but it was a tribute to my old sheep dog Floss who passed away.

　　戴夫说：“我知道这样做看起来很疯狂，但这确实是对我死去的狗狗弗洛斯一个很好的纪念。”

　　'I have three kids and we loved her and as a family we all missed her terribly.

　　“我有三个孩子，我们都很爱弗洛斯，把她当做家人，我们都十分想念她。”

　　'So I got together with a friend and we built Floss the sheep dog car in my barn, copying as closely as I could every last detail of my old dog.

　　“所以我和一个朋友一起在我的谷仓里完成了这辆大狗车，尽可能地还原了弗洛斯的样子。”

　　'Sheep aren't known for their intelligence and they didn't seem to notice the difference so they were quite happy.

　　“羊的智商不高，似乎看不出来差异，所以它们仍然非常开心。”

　　But Floss the car, which is not licensed³ to drive on public roads, is now too big to navigate⁴ along the narrow farm tracks and through the gates to Mr Issac's fields.

　　但是这辆没有上路行驶许可证的大狗车，由于太大而无法通过农场的小路以及农场大门。

　　Because Floss also required a timber frame built around the Peugeot's chassis⁵ to attach the fur, the car is now taking up too much space in the barn of a busy working farm.

　　而且由于大狗车的外部需要一个木支架来固定皮毛，所以她巨大的体积在谷仓里很占地方。

　　Mr Issac added:'They were things we didn't really consider when we built her so with a heavy heart she is going on E-bay.

　　戴夫还说：“当初着手做的时候并没有考虑到这些问题，所以现在我们怀着沉重的心情把她放在E-bay网上准备卖掉。”

　　'It's been a lot of fun and she handles well, is obedient and nice and docile⁶ and surprisingly aerodynamic.

　　“这辆车非常好玩而且操作方便，她听话、友好、温顺，关键是非常符合空气动力学原理。”

　　Mr Isaac hopes Floss the sheep dog car may interest festival organisers or dog charities as a fun car.

　　戴夫希望这辆名叫弗洛斯的大狗车能够引起节日组织者或是狗狗慈善协会等人的兴趣，把它作为一辆趣味汽车。

　　'As long as she goes to a good home I'll be happy,' he said.

　　“只要她能有好的去处，我就会非常开心的。”

　　Floss shares more than a few characteristics with the iconic Mutts Cutts van immortalised in the cult⁷ film Dumb and Dumber.

　　电影《阿呆和阿瓜》中的狗狗车跟戴夫这辆大狗车造型很像。

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

3 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

4 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

5 chassis   

n.汽车等之底盘；（飞机的）起落架；炮底架

参考例句：

• The new parts may include the sheet metal,the transmission,or the chassis.新部件可能包括钢壳，变速器或底盘。
• Can chassis and whole-vehicle manufacturers co-exist peacefully?底盘企业和整车企业能相安无事吗？

6 docile   

adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的

参考例句：

• Circus monkeys are trained to be very docile and obedient.马戏团的猴子训练得服服贴贴的。
• He is a docile and well-behaved child.他是个温顺且彬彬有礼的孩子。

7 cult   

n.异教，邪教；时尚，狂热的崇拜

参考例句：

• Her books aren't bestsellers,but they have a certain cult following.她的书算不上畅销书，但有一定的崇拜者。
• The cult of sun worship is probably the most primitive one.太阳崇拜仪式或许是最为原始的一种。