The Spitfire was a small, fast single-seat British fighter plane used by the RAF in the Second World War. It is famous above all for the Battle of Britain in 1940, when British fighters fought off German bombing raids in the sky over southern England, and for most British people the word now means far more than an aircraft: it stands for that summer, for the young pilots, for holding on when things looked lost.

The SpitfireSpitfire（噴火式戰鬥機） was a small, fast single-seat British fighter plane是一款小型、快速的英國單座戰鬥機 used by the RAF in the Second World War二戰時由英國皇家空軍使用。It is famous above all for the Battle of Britain in 1940它最出名的是1940年的不列顛空戰, when British fighters fought off German bombing raids in the sky over southern England當時英國戰鬥機在英格蘭南部上空擊退德軍轟炸機, and for most British people對大多數英國人來說 the word now means far more than an aircraft這個字現在的意義遠超過一架飛機: it stands for that summer它代表那個夏天, for the young pilots那些年輕飛行員, for holding on when things looked lost以及局勢看似絕望時仍撐下去的精神。

You will hear it in that emotional way constantly — in films, at air shows, in newspaper headlines. Its shape is part of the fame too: curved, almost oval wings that anyone in Britain can recognise. A few dozen still fly today and people stop in the street to look up when one goes over.

You will hear it in that emotional way constantly你會不斷聽到這種帶著情感的用法 — in films, at air shows, in newspaper headlines在電影裡、在飛行展上、在報紙標題裡. Its shape is part of the fame too它的外型也是這份名氣的一部分: curved, almost oval wings彎曲、近乎橢圓的機翼 that anyone in Britain can recognise英國人一眼就能認出來. A few dozen still fly today今天還有幾十架仍在飛行 and people stop in the street to look up when one goes over飛過時人們會在街上停下腳步抬頭看。

Two things beyond the plane.

Two things beyond the plane除了飛機之外，還有兩件事。

First, the word existed before the aircraft: a spitfire is a person, usually a woman, with a quick fierce temper — someone who flares up and answers back. That older sense is still alive, though it now sounds a bit old-fashioned and half-admiring rather than insulting.

First第一, the word existed before the aircraft這個字在飛機出現之前就存在了: a spitfirespitfire is a person指的是一個人, usually a woman通常是女性, with a quick fierce temper脾氣火爆 — someone who flares up and answers back動不動就發火、頂嘴的那種人. That older sense is still alive這個較舊的意思現在依然存在, though it now sounds a bit old-fashioned and half-admiring rather than insulting只是聽起來有點過時，帶點欣賞的味道多過帶點侮辱。

Second, note the capital letter: the plane is a Spitfire, the fiery person is a spitfire.

Second第二, note the capital letter注意大小寫: the plane is a Spitfire飛機要寫大寫的Spitfire, the fiery person is a spitfire火爆脾氣的人則是小寫的spitfire。