2023年经济学人 美国签证要等多久（1）

 

 

    Travellers on a flight to Spain last month found themselves in a stinky situation.

    上个月，一架飞往西班牙的航班上的乘客发现机舱内臭气熏天。

    An ailing¹ passenger had trailed diarrhoea down the aisle², forcing the plane to return to Atlanta.

    一名生病的乘客在过道上腹泻，迫使飞机返回亚特兰大。

    For those flying into or out of America these days, poop is not the only hazard they may face.

    对于这些天飞进或飞出美国的人来说，大便并不是他们可能面临的唯一危险。

    International air travel has soared since the covid-19 pandemic.

    自2019冠状病毒流行以来，国际航空旅行激增。

    This has created a jam at airports, with long queues in immigration halls.

    这在机场造成了拥堵，移民大厅排起了长龙。

    According to Customs and Border Protection (cbp), the agency charged with patrolling America’s borders, at airports as well as land frontiers, some passengers have waited for over two hours this month to enter the country.

    海关和边境保护局(cbp)负责在美国边境、机场和陆地边境巡逻，据该机构称，本月一些乘客要等两个多小时才能进入美国。

    Those who make it past immigration may then find overflowing³ security queues for connections.

    那些顺利移民的人可能会发现转机的安检队伍排得满满的。

    Twice this year your correspondent has had to sprint⁴ through Miami airport to make her domestic flights.

    今年，本台记者不得不两次匆忙通过迈阿密机场来搭乘国内航班。

    Technology (including increasing use of biometric data) can help speed things up.

    技术(包括越来越多地使用生物识别数据)可以帮助加快进程。

    And for those willing to pay, signing up to Global Entry is an option.

    对于那些愿意付费的人来说，注册“全球入境”是一种选择。

    It allows pre-cleared passengers to sail smugly past the long lines.

    它允许预先通过安检的乘客洋洋自得地穿过长长的队伍。

    However, even that avenue is clogged⁵ up: those applying now should prepare to wait nearly a year for approval.

    然而，即便是这条路也堵塞了:那些现在申请的人应该准备好等待近一年时间才能获得批准。

    For some the delays begin long before they reach an international airport.

    对一些人来说，在到达国际机场之前很久就开始延误了。

    According to the State Department, Americans who apply for a passport this month may have to wait for between eight and 11 weeks.

    美国国务院表示，本月申请护照的美国人可能需要等待8到11周。

    That is an improvement: those who applied⁶ between March and October this year waited for up to 13 weeks.

    这已经进步了:那些在今年3月至10月间申请的人等待了长达13周的时间。

    Non-citizens who need interviews for visas to visit America face far worse backlogs⁷.

    非美国公民访问美国需要面谈签证，面临的积压情况要严重得多。

1 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

2 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。

3 overflowing   

n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The stands were overflowing with farm and sideline products. 集市上农副产品非常丰富。
• The milk is overflowing. 牛奶溢出来了。

4 sprint   

n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过

参考例句：

• He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
• The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。

5 clogged   

（使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞

参考例句：

• The narrow streets were clogged with traffic. 狭窄的街道上交通堵塞。
• The intake of gasoline was stopped by a clogged fuel line. 汽油的注入由于管道阻塞而停止了。

6 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

7 backlogs   

积压未办之事( backlog的名词复数 )； 没交付的订货； 备用； 备用物

参考例句：

• "You'll need kindling and medium wood and logs and backlogs. “点火柴、引火柴、原木、垫底的，你都用得着。” 来自名作英译部分
• Our manufacturers have heavy backlogs on their hands. 我们的生产厂商手头有许多积压而没有交付的订单。