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British army accused of misleading potential recruits 英軍被控以不實廣告招募新兵

British soldiers keep watch as a tank drives by in Basra, Iraq, Dec. 16, 2007. 去年十二月十六日在伊拉克巴斯拉，英國士兵在坦克經過時警戒看守。 照片：法新社 PHOTO: AFP

Potential recruits to the British armed forces are given a misleading picture of military life, according to a report published last week.

They are not always told that once they enlist, they have to stay in the forces for years, it says.

Britain is the only European country which recruits youngsters into the armed forces from the age of 16, though they cannot be sent on operations until they are 18. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), which has criticized the report, says this is the only way it can compete in the battle to attract school-leavers.

The report was written by David Gee, a researcher who formerly ran the Quakers' peace and disarmament program. It refers to remarks made last year by Colonel David Allfrey, head of the army's recruitment strategy. "It starts with a seven-year-old boy seeing a parachutist at an air show and thinking, 'That looks great.' From then the army is trying to build interest by drip, drip, drip."

The report said that marketing to children below the recruitment age commonly "glamorizes warfare." It refers to an army Web site, Camouflage, aimed at 12-year-olds to 17-year-olds, which encourages youngsters to participate in games.

A spokeswoman for the MoD said parts of the report were incorrect, and that it was made clear to recruits they could apply to leave up to six months after they enlisted. Thereafter, they had to stay for four years.

She added: "Anyone considering a career in the armed forces is presented with clear information."

Top military officials are drawing up plans to increase the size of the army. They're concerned that the service cannot go on performing tasks demanded of it without an increase in manpower.(GUARDIAN)

上週公布的一篇報告指出，英國軍方為招募新兵，以不實的方式宣傳軍旅生涯，誤導有志從軍者。

報告中說，軍方不一定會告知他們一旦應募入伍，就必須留在部隊好幾年。

英國是歐洲唯一一個向十六歲青少年募兵的國家，但他們要年滿十八歲後才能執行任務。英國國防部駁斥這篇報告的內容，並表示唯有這樣，他們才能爭取輟學生的加入。

這篇報告是由曾任貴格會和平裁軍計畫執行者的研究員戴維．基所撰寫，報告中提到去年軍方募兵策略處處長大衛．艾爾非說：「自從一個七歲小男孩在一場飛行表演中看到傘兵，覺得『那看起來真酷』後，英軍就試著一點一滴地吸引人心。」

報告中提到，針對低於募兵年齡的孩子，通常都採取「美化戰爭」的行銷手法，一個名叫「Camouflage（保護色）」的軍隊網站主打十二到十七歲青少年族群，鼓勵他們上網玩遊戲。

英國國防部發言人說，這份報告有部份內容不實，並澄清新兵可在入伍後六個月內申請退伍；時限過後，他們就得服役四年。

她補充說明：「任何考慮當職業軍人的人都會被告知詳細的資訊。」

軍方高層正在擬定擴充兵源的計畫，他們憂心若不增加新兵，軍方將無力繼續履行國家賦予的任務。（衛報／翻譯：袁星塵）

TODAY'S WORDS 今日單字 1. recruit n. 新成員 (xin1 cheng2 yuan2) 例: Our team has three new recruits. (我們這組來了三名新成員。) 2. enlist v.t./v.i. 招募 (zhao1 mu4)，入伍 (ru4 wu3) 例: Are you going to enlist in the army? (你將入伍從軍嗎？) 3. disarmament n. 裁軍 (cai2 jun1) 例: The president is planning for a major disarmament. (總統計畫要大規模裁軍。) 4. glamorize v.t. 美化 (mei3 hua4) 例: Criminals are often glamorized on TV. (電視節目常常美化罪犯。)

SAY WHAT? 說說看 draw up 起草 Draw up is a phrasal verb that means to prepare. Some other phrasal verbs that contain the word "up" are eat up, which means to eat, act up, which means to misbehave, dream up, which means to think of something new, and end up, which means to arrive at an outcome. For example, "Mom told us to eat up when she served dinner. Everyone was quiet until my brother started to act up. He threw his mashed potatoes at me! That's when I started to dream up a plan to get him back. He's going to end up wishing he was never born." 「draw up」是一個動詞片語，表示預備的意思，其他包含「up」這個字的動詞片語有「eat up」表示吃光、「act up」表示調皮、「dream up」表示構思新主意、「end up」表示得到結果。例如：「老媽端上晚餐時叫我們要吃完；在弟弟開始調皮搗蛋之前大家都很安靜；他朝我扔馬鈴薯泥！所以我就開始構思報復 的方法；他將會後悔自己出世為人」。

OUT LOUD 對話練習 Annie: What's wrong, Ted? Ted: I'm really bummed because I didn't get into West Point. Annie: It might be a blessing in disguise. I don't think the army suits you. Ted: Maybe not, but they offer a free education. Annie: But your college years are really important. You don't want to pick the wrong school just because it's cheap. 安妮：怎麼啦，泰德？ 泰德：無法進入西點軍校，我真的很失望。 安妮：你也許是因禍得福呢，我覺得你不適合從軍。 泰德：也許吧，可是他們提供免費的教育。 安妮：但是大學生活非常重要，你不能因為學費便宜就選擇一個不適合你的學校。 a blessing in disguise　因禍得福 Something that's a blessing in disguise might look bad on the outside, but actually is a good thing. For example, "Not getting that job was a blessing in disguise because I kept applying for work and found something even better." 若說某事是「a blessing in disguise」，代表此事表面上看起來很糟，但本質上卻是好事一樁，例如：「沒有得到那份工作真是因禍得福，因為我後來找到了一份更好的工作」。

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