12名年龄在11岁至16岁之间的泰国少年足球队员和1名教练，6月23日进入清莱一处洞穴后与外界失去联系。来自多国的1000多名救援人员经过10天的搜寻，终于在7月2日晚在距洞口约4公里处发现被困人员。

「经济学人」报道泰国洞穴被困事件 揪心！

直至7月10日，最后４名少年足球队员及1名教练被成功救出。至此，被困泰国清莱洞穴的13人全部获救。

据报道，此处洞穴全长超过10公里，洞内地形复杂。由于泰国正值雨季，洞内多处被水淹没，水中淤泥堆积，能见度极低，狭窄难行，救援工作异常艰难。

此外，100多名来自中国、美国、澳大利亚等国的救援人员参与运送氧气瓶等救援物资。

「经济学人」

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Spelunky-dory

Deliverance* for Thailand's cave-trapped footballers

The rescue is also a reprieve for the hapless military regime

*deliverance表示“拯救；解救”和rescue有近似含义。

RELIEF engulfs[1] Thailand. After 17 days, ten of them without food or medicine, the last of 12 Thai boys and their football coach emerged from the Tham Luang cave on July 10th. The Wild Boars team became trapped 4km into the complex[2] after heavy rains flooded it while they explored together.

[1]engulf

1)if an unpleasant feeling engulfs you, you feel it very strongly 吞没，包围

2)to completely surround or cover something 完全包围；遮住；使陷入

[2]complex在文中作为名词，表示“建筑群”（A complex is a group of buildings designed for a particular purpose, or one large building divided into several smaller areas.)

a low-cost apartment complex

一个低价公寓楼群

Hundreds of divers, rescue workers, doctors and officials worked to bring them to safety. Even Elon Musk*, a Silicon Valley luminary[3], turned up to offer his services and a mini submarine (which, while appreciated, the Thai government carefully explained, was not what was needed). The team eventually swam through the flooded tunnels individually or in pairs using scuba gear[4]. Guide ropes and professional divers helped them find their way through the dark waters.

*Elon Musk(埃隆·马斯克)，美国太空探索技术公司(SpaceX)创始人

此前报道称，马斯克表示要着手建造一个“小型潜水艇(mini submarine)”来帮助救援，并且亲自飞到清莱，并前往3号洞穴了解情况。不过，他的装备最终未能派上用场。后来，马斯克在Twitter上发布消息称已经从3号洞穴返回，并且留下了一艘迷你潜艇，以备不时之需。

[3]luminary: If you refer to someone as a luminary, you mean that they are an expert in a particular subject or activity. 方家; 大师; 泰斗

[4]scuba gear: 水中呼吸装置；自给潜水装备；潜水设备

Heroic tales abound[5]. Saman Kunan, a former Thai Navy SEAL, died after delivering air tanks to the team on July 5th. Thailand's king announced shortly afterwards that he would receive a sumptuous[6] funeral paid for by the crown. Ekkapol Chantawong, the young coach, had been a Buddhist monk[和尚;僧] for several years and reportedly kept the boys calm by teaching them meditation. He also gave them his share of the scant[7] provisions[8] they had packed for the original expedition and was the last to leave. Cave-diving experts flew in from several countries to help with the rescue.

据报道，泰国当地官员7月6日表示，一位名叫沙曼·库南（Saman Kunan）的潜水员在向失踪球队运送物资后，因缺氧而遇难。这名潜水员今年38岁，此前曾在泰国海军海豹突击队服役，并在搜救少年足球队的行动中自愿回归参与营救。此外，这位名为Ekkapol Chantawong的教练此前在一家佛教寺院当了几年的和尚。

[5]abound(v.)表示“大量存在”to exist in very large numbers

Rumours abound as to the reasons for his resignation.

有关他辞职的原因有各种各样的谣传。

[6]sumptuous: Something that is sumptuous is grand and obviously very expensive. 奢华的

a sumptuous feast.

一场奢华的盛会。

[7]scant: 少量的; 不足的

[8]provisions:〔尤指为旅行储备的〕粮食，食物

The outcome prompted joy around the world: Donald Trump tweeted his congratulations. The team were offered tickets to the final of the World Cup, but will not be well enough to travel. The British club they support, Manchester United[曼联], has also invited them to visit.

▲特朗普发推特祝贺

国际足联上周邀请泰国受困山洞的少年足球队前往莫斯科观看世界杯决赛。不过，据报道，他们将不会前往莫斯科观赛。国际足联(FIFA)表示，“泰国足协通知我们，由于医疗方面原因，这些少年将无法前往莫斯科观看世界杯决赛。”

Thailand's military rulers could not resist basking[9] in all the goodwill. Prayuth Chan-ocha*, the general who heads the ruling junta[军政府], was able to show a softer side on a visit to monitor the rescue efforts. And the long drama diverted public attention from the country's sluggish[10] economy and political muddle[11] “to something that the government could take action on”, says Pavin Chachavalpongpun of Kyoto University.

*Prayuth Chan-ocha 现任泰国总理巴育·詹欧差

[9]bask:If you bask in someone's approval, favour, or admiration, you greatly enjoy their positive reaction toward you. 享受; 陶醉于

He has spent a month basking in the adulation of the fans back in Jamaica.

他一个月里都陶醉在牙买加崇拜者的吹捧之中。

[10]sluggish: 一个经常用来形容“经济萧条、不景气”的词，

You can describe something as sluggish if it moves, works, or reacts much slower than you would like or is normal. 缓慢的; 迟钝的

The economy remains sluggish.

经济保持缓慢发展。

[11]muddle: /'mʌdl/ when there is confusion about something, and things are done wrong as a result 混乱

经济萧条 sluggish economy

政局混乱 political muddle

Every one of the four years it has been in power, the junta has promised to hold elections, only to change its mind and delay them. It recently pushed them back from February to May. Its leaders seem increasingly hapless[12] and aloof[13]. But this time, at least, they showed they can get things done.

[12]hapless表示unlucky“倒霉的，不幸的”

[13]aloof /əˈluːf/

1) unfriendly and deliberately not talking to other people 冷漠的[地]；疏远的[地]

2) deliberately not becoming involved in something 不参与（的），远离（的）

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "Spelunky-dory" (Jul 12th 2018)