Lesson 13 A Tough Case 棘手的个案

For the last 20 years, I've worked as a arbitrator of disputes involving land. Arbitration is an arduous process that requires patience. Both parties in a dispute are typically ardent about their opinions. It's this state of ardor that makes it difficult to approach a satisfactory solution. Fortunately, I have the aptitude for understand's people's needs and finding an appropriate solution that satisfies the approximate requirements of both sides.

我已做了2年的仲裁者，我的工作是解决涉及土地的争端。仲裁工作是个需要耐心的艰难过程，争执双方总是热切的阐述自己的观点，正是这份热切才使得双方很难探讨一个令人满意的解决方案。幸亏我有这方面的才能，总能善解人意，找到合适的解决办法，方才大致上满足了双方的要求。

The parties who approve me to judge their case know that I'm apt to make a fair and reasonable decision, not an arbitray one. This knowledge tends to lower the apprehension of both parties. I find that if the parties are less apprehensive, they are more cooperative. But no case is easy. There's always a sticking point.

凡赞成让我裁决个案的利益双方都明白，我善于做出公正、合理的决定，绝不会武断的下结论。这一认识常常能减少争执双方的担忧。我发现争执双方越不担忧，就越容易合作。但没有一个个案是容易解决的，仲裁中总有症结。

Presently, I'm working on a dispute between an old farmer and the government. The old farmer owns a piece of arable land on which he has grown fruit trees for 25 years. He wants to keep his land just as it is, not only because of his trees , but also due to the arboreal life it supports. The government believes that the old man's farming methods are archaic and not a productive use of the land. They want approval to use farmer's land to build a huge high-tech public aquarium. They want to display unique aquatic creatures to help educate the public. The government plans to make this project the archetype for all future public aquariums.

现在，我正着手解决一个老农与政府直接的争端。那位老农拥有一片可耕地，他在这片土地上种了25年的果树。他想保持这片土地的现有状态，不仅为他的果树，还为生活在树上的所有生物。政府则认为那位老农的耕作方法太过时，没能有效利用土地。他们希望获得批准，在这片土地上建一座大型的高科技公共水族馆，馆内将展示独特的水生动物，以教育公众。政府计划使这一项目成为今后所有水族馆的典范。

Well, it's going to be a tough case. In fact, it may be my toughest case yet.

这将是个棘手的案子。实际上，这可能是我经历过的最难解决的案子。

Words:

apprehension n. 担心，害怕;理解

apprehensive adj. 恐惧的，忧虑的，担心的

approach n. 方法; vt. 接近，靠近;探讨

appropriate adj. 适当的，恰当的;vt. 拨款

approve vt. 批准;vi. 赞成，同意

approval n. 赞成，正式批准

approximate v. 接近，近似;adj. 大约的，估计的

apt adj. (习性)易于。。。的，有。。。倾向的，善于的;恰当的，贴切的

aptitude n. 才能;自然倾向

aquatic adj. 水生的，水栖的，水中或水上的

aquarium n. 水族馆

arable adj. 适于耕作的，可耕的

arbitrary adj. 专横的，专制的，武断的

arbitrator n. 仲裁者

arbitration n. 调停，仲裁

arboreal adj. 树栖的;树的;乔木的

archaic adj. 古代的，古老的，陈旧的，过时的

archetype adj. 原型，典型

ardent adj. 热烈投入的，极热心的

ardor n. 激情，狂热

arduous adj. 费力的，艰难的