2016年ESL之旅行交通购物 03 Smuggling Across Borders

ESL Podcast 1185 – Smuggling¹ Across Borders 

Christina: What is the holdup? There are cars backed up for half a mile. 

Harry²: I bet the border patrol is looking for smugglers. 

Christina: Do you really think so? I wonder if there could be a drug mule³ in one of these cars carrying illegal drugs. 

Harry: It might be drugs, but it could be any kind of contraband⁴. I’ve heard that there’s a problem with gunrunning and other kinds of arms trafficking across these borders. 

Christina: Maybe they’re looking for people trying to sneak⁵ into this country without permission. 

Harry: Or they could be looking for people trying to import exotic species without permission. 

Christina: What kinds of exotic species? 

Harry: Plants and animals that aren’t allowed to be brought into this country, at least not without quarantine. 

Christina: Plants? You mean like these herb plants I bought? 

Harry: I doubt if they’re prohibited. Wait, you can’t leave the car! 

Christina: What if this is contraband and they catch me with it? 

Harry: They’ll confiscate⁶ it and send us on our way. 

Christina: Are you sure? 

Harry: Sure, I’m sure. They’d be much more interested in the bats I’m smuggling in my pants anyway. 

Christina: What?! 

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse 

1 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

2 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

3 mule   

n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人

参考例句：

• A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
• He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

4 contraband   

n.违禁品，走私品

参考例句：

• Most of the city markets were flooded with contraband goods.大多数的城市市场上都充斥着走私货。
• The customs officers rummaged the ship suspected to have contraband goods.海关人员仔细搜查了一艘有走私嫌疑的海轮。

5 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

6 confiscate   

v.没收(私人财产)，把…充公

参考例句：

• The police have the right to confiscate any forbidden objects they find.如发现违禁货物，警方有权查扣。
• Did the teacher confiscate your toy?老师没收你的玩具了吗？