By Amy Klein
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You can’t go far on Taipei’s streets without encountering a stray dog. Often underfed and unattractive, they can sometimes be a nuisance. But have you ever thought that these dogs, if properly cared for and trained, could save lives? We tend to see dogs as either pitiful strays or fun pets, but they can be trained to do amazing things. Around the world, dogs assist humans in many ways: they guide the blind, help police and rescue workers, and even fight in wars! In the past 50 years, 50,000 dogs have served America in wartime. Those that helped during the Vietnam War are credited with preventing at least 10,000 deaths. Dogs are alert and loyal, with a keen sense of smell – qualities that make them excellent soldiers. They can detect enemies and bombs, as well as locate and comfort wounded soldiers; some have even dragged the injured to safety. Human soldiers also value the company of their dog friends, as these animals provide comfort and friendship in foreign lands. [Last edited by huamei461112 on 2009-2-7 12:24]
The translation of the first sentence could be something like this: On the streets of Taipei, you won’t have to walk far before you see stray dogs. It can also be translated like this: On the streets of Taipei, no matter how far you walk, you won’t see a stray dog. According to the overall meaning of the text, it should be the first option, but I’m not quite sure about it; two negatives equal a positive statement – “can’t go far” means “not far”, that is, it’s a short distance, just a few steps ； Without meeting a stray dog – no stray dogs were seen; in other words, there weren’t any stray dogs within a few steps’ distance. It’s two negatives, meaning no dogs were seen within those few steps.