廚房SOP作業
Lisa, from America, was visiting George Chang in Tainan. George was Lisa’s schoolmate from the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
來自美國的麗莎，到台南拜訪一起在南加大讀電影的同學張喬治，
George was a great host, and showed Lisa around Tainan to enjoy its delicious food.
喬治除盡地主之誼，帶麗莎吃遍台南美食之外，
During their food journey, inspiration struck, and George decided to show Lisa Tainan’s famous Madou Daitian Temple (Temple of the Heavenly Viceroys), which houses an “18 levels of hell” display that is spookier than many haunted houses.
竟突發奇想地帶她去台南麻豆的代天府，參觀比鬼屋還要可怕的「十八層地獄」。
inspiration(n.)靈感strike(v.)靈感乍現heavenly(adv.)天堂地viceroy(n.)總督display(v.)展示spooky(adj.)可怕的haunted house鬼屋
In the evening, after Lisa returned to her hotel, grotesque and macabre images of the hellish scenes haunted her thoughts and drove sleep away.
晚上麗莎回到旅館，回想地獄裡種種痛苦猙獰的畫面，竟然害怕的睡不著覺，
grotesque(adj.)怪誕的macabre(adj.)可怕的hellish(adj.)糟糕的、令人討厭的haunt(v.)苦惱、困擾drive sth away驅除掉某事
She called George, who explained to her that the story of the 18 levels of hell is a stern reminder to people that karma exists, and that we ought to refrain from committing evil, for retribution will catch up to us one day.
她打電話給喬治，喬治安慰她說十八層地獄的故事，主要是要警示世人要相信因果，不要做壞事，以免惡有惡報，
stern(adj.)嚴厲的reminder(n.)提醒karma(n.)業障、報應exist(v.)存在ought to應該要⋯⋯refrain(v.)避免commit(v.)犯罪、做違法的事retribution(n.)報應catch up趕上、追上
Someone as kind as Lisa would not go to hell, so she had nothing to worry about.
像她這麼善良的人是不會下地獄，所以不要害怕。
George went on, “If you look at the 18 levels of hell from another perspective, you will see that all modes of torture are derived from cooking!
喬治又說 : 「如果你用另一個觀點來看十八層地獄，
look at看待perspective(n.)觀點mode(n.)方式torture(n.)折磨derive(v.)從⋯⋯得到、想到
In the hell, they “weigh” your merits, “mash” sinners up, make sinners climb up a mountain of knives, and immerse sinners in pots of boiling oil.
你會發現一下『稱秤』你的功過,一下又是『碓搗』成肉泥，然後又是上刀山下油鍋一連串的煎煮炒炸，簡直就是以烹飪料理的思維方式發展出來的處罰創意，
merit(n.)功德mash(v.)搗碎sinner(n.)罪人immerse(v.)沒入
Even after your sins have been purged, you have to drink a bowl of Mengpo soup to erase all your memories before you can be reincarnated.
就連處罰完畢投胎前也要喝一碗忘卻過去記憶的『孟婆湯』，
sin(n.)原罪purge(v.)贖罪、潔淨erase(v.)消除reincarnate(v.)投胎
All these punishments are but kitchen SOPs, with the ingredients being sinners, and the “Ah-chi-shih”* in this kitchen is Hades.”
這一系列的廚房SOP作業，罪人成為食材而主廚阿基師--------他的名字叫閻王。
punishment(n.)懲罰sinner(n.)罪人Hades(n.)陰間、冥王
George’s explanation calmed Lisa’s nerves, but she still joked that she had to sleep with the lights on that night.
麗莎聽完喬治的觀點，才算驚魂甫定，她笑說今晚不敢關燈睡覺了，
explanation(n.)解釋nerve(n.)神經
George apologized profusely, and promised to take the HSR with her to Taipei the following day, so that she could visit Xingtian Temple to “siu-kiann” (recover from shock). But that’s the next chapter in Lisa’s story!
喬治連聲說抱歉，並說明天會跟她坐高鐵去台北玩，再到行天宮收收驚，「收驚」？那是麗莎下一段的旅程了！
apologize(v.)道歉profusely(adv.)一再地promise(v.)承諾
*Ah-chi-shih is a famous chef in Taiwan.
阿基師為台灣知名廚師。