人體導航 倫敦計程車司機

中譯／陳怡君（中央社編譯）

對許多人來說，不便查詢的大地圖、轉錯彎、以及因不得不接受不知何去何從的事實，而得在加油站尷尬地暫停問路，這些都已成為古老的過去事。全球衛星定位系統（GPS）與手機應用程式的便利，只要輸入目的地，數位地圖與親切語音就會引領你直達目的地。這類科技的問世，因而認為成為有效率的計程車司機是件輕而易舉的事，若有這種錯誤認知是可以被原諒；不過若認為倫敦計程車司機也是這樣，那就大錯特錯，因為想成為倫敦司程車司機需經過嚴格考核。

要成為倫敦無所不在、舉世聞名的有照「小黑」司機，確實是個非常困難的任務。可能得花上四年以上時間靠摩托車穿梭倫敦街道、當個手上握有紙筆的「知識人」。為了準備迎戰「知識大全」考試，要通過這項嚴格檢定，得能在心裡默記倫敦任何兩個地點間的最短距離。這項檢定考被認為是「世上所有類型中最困難的考試」，堪可比擬醫學或法律學位考試，是「獨一無二的智力、心理與體力上的考驗，必須花上無盡的時間密集閱讀。要成為計程車司機得接受記住整個倫敦街道的考驗，並透過更進階的連串困難的口試來展現這項專業」。

雖然缺考人數不得而知，估計75%候選人沒有達標。這個數據並不令人訝異，由於準備這項考試得記上約2萬5,000條街道與觀光名勝，而且應考人不光是坐在那裡應考，還得參加更可怕的「面試」，必須背誦出兩個地點間的完美路線。要能獲得考官認為他們已經夠格，應考者恐得參加約莫20次或以上的「面試」。

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那麼有些人可能會問，為什麼倫敦計程車司機不靠像是 GPS等現代科技呢？答案僅僅是沒有時間！如果駕駛必須在路邊停車以輸入 GPS，交通阻塞可能是個嚴重隱憂。倫敦運輸局計程車事務負責人梅森（John Mason）表示：「倫敦計程車服務，代表你可以在街上攔車，甚至早在駕駛確實知道目的地在那裡之前，他已經發動車子、駛向正確的方向。」

因此對於認為自己具有倫敦計程車司機條件、已經躍躍欲試的人來說，第一步就是取得一本《藍皮書》（了解倫敦全面路線的聖經）開始填鴨。畢竟，要將你的大腦轉換成人體導航系統 、並且加入鐵定是最菁英與世上最訓練有素的計程車司機行列，可不是那麼簡單。（完）

更多精彩內容請見《全球中央》2015年2月號；訂閱《全球中央數位雜誌》；本文由《全球中央》雜誌授權刊載，未經同意禁止轉載。

Beautiful Minds: The London Taxi Driver撰文及考是設計／英國文化協會 Joel Finnestad

For many, long gone are the days of cumbersome maps, wrong turns, and embarrassing pit stops at the petrol station to ask for directions after succumbing to the reality that you haven't a clue where you are or where you're going. The convenience of satellite navigation technology（GPS）and mobile phone apps make it possible to simply key in your destination, and voila! A digitized map and friendly voice guides you straight to your destination. With such technology, one could be forgiven for assuming that functioning as an effective taxi driver has become a cinch. They'd be terribly mistaken, however, if they were referring to the plight of the would be London cabby.

To become a licensed driver of one of London's world-famous ubiquitous black taxicabs is a harrowing ordeal indeed. It can take up to four or more years as a "Knowledge boy"（or girl）combing the streets of London on motor scooters, pen and paper in hand, in an attempt to prepare for "the Knowledge"—a rigorous examination of a candidate’s ability to know by heart the shortest distance and directions between any two points in London. The exam has been called the "the hardest test, of any kind, in the world", likened to a degree in law or medicine, and a "a unique intellectual, psychological and physical ordeal, demanding unnumbered thousands of hours of immersive study, as would-be cabbies undertake the task of committing to memory the entirety of London, and demonstrating that mastery through a progressively more difficult sequence of oral examinations."

While dropout figures are not available, it is assumed that approximately 75% of candidates do not make the grade. The number isn't surprising when you consider that the preparation requires taking in around 25,000 streets as well as points of interest. And candidates do not merely sit an examination. They must also attend the much dreaded "appearances" at which they are expected to recite the perfect route between any two points. Candidates have to attend sometimes twenty or more of these "appearances" until the examiners feel they are good enough.

Why then, one might ask, could not the London cabbies just rely on modern technology in the form of GPS navigation devices? There's simply no time! Traffic backup would be a serious concern if drivers needed to stay parked at the side of the curb keying in coordinates for navigation while traffic builds up behind them. According to John Mason, Head of Taxi for Transport for London, "London taxi service means that you can hail a cab, on the street, and before even the driver's really understood exactly where the end point is, he's set off and he's on his way in the right direction."

So for the aspiring want-to-be London cabby who thinks he or she has what it takes, the first step is to obtain a copy of the "Blue Book" (The Guide to learning the Knowledge of London) and start cramming. After all, how hard could it be to turn your mind into a human navigational device and join the ranks of what must be the most elite and well-trained taxi fleet in the world?

1. long gone - 消逝已久的 gone a long time ago

2. cumbersome -笨重的，（因體積、重量等原因）難處理的 hard to handle because of size or weight

3. pit stops -旅途中的短暫停留、休息 a short stop during a journey

4. succumb -屈服 to stop trying to resist something

5. voila - 【法】用在引起注意或表示滿意、贊同或讚嘆 (French) used to call attention, to express satisfaction or approval, or to suggest an appearance as if by magic

6. a cinch - 【俚】簡單的事情 easy

7. ubiquitous -無所不在的 widespread, or often seen in the same place

8. harrowing ordeal -形容某個經驗或任務非常艱鉅或嚇人 an experience or task that is difficult or frightening

9. rigorous -非常嚴格與苛刻的 very strict and demanding

10. make the grade -達到標準 to be satisfactory, or to be what is expected

IELTS style questionsMatching informationThe passage contains four paragraphs labeled A-D.Which paragraphs contain the following information?

1. a suggestion of possible drawbacks to GPS technology (D)

2. a solution to losing one's way when on a journey (A)

3. a summary of the requirements for becoming a cab driver in London

4. the first step for getting started with "The Knowledge" (E)

5. a description of the experience of hiring a taxi in London (D)True/False/Not Given

1. Taxi drivers in London rely on a digitized map and friendly voice that guides them straight to their destination (F)

2. The oral examinations taken to become a taxi driver get slightly more easy as one progresses through the training (F)

3. London taxi drivers are prohibited from using any form of navigational/GPS technology (NG)

4. Most candidates do not complete the training and become London taxi drivers (T)

5. "The Knowledge" is primarily a test of a candidate's ability to identify any part of London on a map. (F)

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