A harrowing competition is underway in England, with billions of dollars and hundreds of lives at stake. OK, that’s not true. But competitors from around the world gathered on Thursday for the annual competition to crown the world’s biggest liar.
英格蘭正舉行一場令人痛苦的比賽，攸關數十億美元和幾百條生命。好吧，這不是真的。不過週四這天，來自世界各地的競賽者都齊聚一堂參加一年一度的比賽，角逐全球撒謊大王的頭銜。
Each contestant is given up to five minutes to weave the best fib in the contest, which was founded in honor of 19th-century Bridge Inn landlord Will Ritson, who was reportedly legendary for his lies.
每個參賽者都有5分鐘時間來編造出最妙的謊言。該比賽是為了紀念19世紀布里奇酒館老闆威爾．瑞特森而創立，據傳瑞特森因善於撒謊而蔚為傳奇。
Competitors gather at the Bridge Inn every year for the competition, a small pub in northwestern England.
競爭者每年聚集在英格蘭西北部的布里奇小酒館來參加這場比賽。
Anyone can take part in the competition. Well, almost anyway; the reporters note that lawyers and politicians are banned, citing "an unfair advantage" in the proceedings.
任何人都能參加競賽。嗯，幾乎啦；記者指出，律師和政客被禁止參賽，理由是這兩種人在比賽中有「不公平優勢」。
A bishop of Carlisle reportedly holds what may be the greatest lie of all time in the competition, simply stating, "I have never told a lie in my life."
卡萊爾的一位主教據稱說了可能是比賽中空前的最大謊言，他只說了這句話：「我這輩子從來沒說過一句謊話。」
In 2006, comedian Sue Perkins became the first female to win the competition, telling a tale about people riding camels to work as a result of climate change.
2006年，喜劇演員蘇．帕金斯成為第一位贏得該大賽的女性，她講述了一個氣候變遷導致人們騎駱駝上班的故事。
Last year’s winning entry came from Glen Boyland, who told a lie about competing in a snail-racing competition with Prince Charles.
去年奪冠的謊言來自格倫．波伊蘭德，他講了一個與查爾斯王子進行蝸牛賽跑的謊話。
新聞辭典
harrowing：形容詞，悲慘的；很難受的。The shipwreck was a harrowing experience.（那次海難是一次慘痛的經歷。）
at stake：片語，在危險中；利害（或生死、存亡）攸關。例句：My honour is at stake.（我的名譽利害攸關。）
fib：名詞，無傷大雅的小謊言。例句：He told a fib so he could leave early.（他說了小謊，以便早點離開。）
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