【1月4日】看軍聞學英語
■林國賓
原文：
Seven Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldiers completed tryouts Oct. 22, earning their place in a best squad competition scheduled for March 2026 in Lithuania.
The grueling day began at 5 a.m. as Soldiers completed five demanding events over 14 hours with minimal downtime between each. "Morale was high; everyone was lighthearted but determined," said Sgt. 1st Class Paul Almquist, a candidate for the squad. "Everybody was super competitive and strived to give it their all while also pushing one another."
By day’s end, Soldiers had completed an Army Combat Fitness Test, a nine-event obstacle course, a Ranger Physical Assessment, a land navigation challenge with 15 points across mountainous terrain, and a six-mile, 35-pound ruck march. The assessment alone required carrying 40-pound kettlebells, dragging a 180-pound SKEDCO rescue system for 100 meters, and running multiple miles on a winding, uneven trail while carrying a sandbag.
"We put in nearly 20 miles over the course of the day," said Sgt. 1st Class Erich Friedlein, another tryout competitor. "This tryout was designed so that these demanding events were stacked back-to-back. You need to sustain high levels of physical exertion and mental fortitude to perform well across the board."
The endurance required to excel in the tryouts and upcoming competition also prepares Soldiers for real-world missions and challenging operational environments.
中譯：
賓州陸軍國民兵7名士兵去年10月22日完成選拔，取得代表參加2026年3月在立陶宛舉行的最強小隊競賽資格。
這讓人筋疲力盡的一天從凌晨5時開始，士兵們在14小時內完成了5項高強度測驗，每項測驗之間的休息時間極少。小隊候選人一等士官長阿姆奎斯特說：「士氣非常高昂，大家心情輕鬆但全力以赴。每個人都求勝心切，不僅努力做到最好，也互相激勵。」
當天結束時，士兵們已完成陸軍戰鬥體能測驗、9項障礙賽、突擊兵體能鑑測、橫跨山地地形找出15個定位點的地面測向任務，以及負重35磅的6哩行軍。光是突擊兵體能鑑測內容就包括提起40磅壺鈴、拖行180磅的SKEDCO救援系統100公尺，以及揹著沙袋在蜿蜒不平的山徑上奔跑數哩。
另一名參與選拔的一等士官長佛利德萊恩表示：「我們一天下來總共走了將近20哩，這次選拔是精心設計，高強度的關卡一個接著一個，必須維持高度體能輸出與精神專注，才能有全面的傑出表現。」
能在選拔與未來的比賽中脫穎而出，也意味著士兵具備執行實際任務及應對艱困作戰環境的能力。
─關鍵軍語─
※tryout：選拔
※march：行軍