士兵需要忍受的最大困难是经常性的饥饿。特殊部队的士兵待遇很好，但是那些在首都平壤外驻扎的士兵每顿只给两三个土豆，或者只吃未加工的玉米粒或玉米稻。

Thanks to these diets, North Korean soldiers are said to be several inches shorter than their South Korean counterparts – a sensitive subject for the North, wrote Adam Cathcart, as tensions flared on the peninsula last month.

由于这些食物，朝鲜士兵据说会比韩国士兵矮几英寸，Adam Cathcart写道，韩国对于朝鲜是一个敏感话题，上个月朝鲜半岛局势紧张。

On meagre rations the soldiers not only have to train but are given physical tasks such as helping farmers on their rice paddy fields. Many become very thin and hungry, and desperate to escape.

在贫乏的定量配给下，士兵不仅要训练，还要完成体力任务，比如帮助农民在稻田干活。很多士兵变得又饿又瘦，绝望的想要逃跑。

The military police are always on the look out for soldiers who’ve escaped to look for food. Sometimes these soldiers steal from civilians and farming stockrooms because they’re so hungry. If it’s edible, they’ll steal it.

宪兵总在提防为了寻找食物而逃跑的士兵。有时候这些士兵会从百姓手里和农仓偷东西，因为他们实在太饿了。只要能吃，他们就偷走。

I’ve heard that some senior officers will even order soldiers to go out and steal. If they fail they may be punished.

我听说一些高级官员甚至命令士兵出去偷窃。如果失败了可能会受到惩罚。

In my high school class there were 25 boys. Five went to college and the remaining 20 went into the military. Half of those were returned home suffering from the effects of malnutrition.

我高中所在班级中有二十五个男孩，五个去上了大学，剩下的二十个从军，其中一半都因为营养不良被遣送回家。

Soldiers are given home leave to recover. Most are too weak to even walk by themselves, so their parents pick them up and feed them back to health. When they improve they go back to the army.

士兵们回家疗养，绝大部分太过虚弱以至于无法自己走路，所以父母必须来接他们，并通过食物让他们恢复健康。当士兵们的健康状况提高了，他们便回到军队。

The lucky ones serve in the special unit, or serve under good officers who take care of them. The unlucky ones die of hunger before their parents have a chance to help them. The only thing these parents pray for is the safe return of their sons.

幸运的士兵们在特殊部队服役，或在对他们多多照顾的军官手下服役。而那些不那么幸运的，在父母可以帮助他们前就死于饥饿。父母们祈祷的唯一事情就是孩子们的平安归来。

North Korea may be the worst place in the world to do military service.

朝鲜可能是全世界服役最恐怖的地方。来源:The Guardian

【对于学习，从现在开始，你还没有晚。别说自己没基础，慢慢来；你不懂？问我吧！——订阅微信公众号：爱语吧VOA（iyubavoa】返回搜狐，查看更多