I f you suspect a cover-up, it means you believe there is an attempt to hide the truth about a serious matter. I think the MTR is hiding, or covering up, the truth about the two-year delay of the high-speed railway. When something reeks, it means it smells very bad. People who drink too much will reek of alcohol. This means they will have a bad smell of alcohol. Public toilets usually reek. This means they stink or have a very bad smell. When something reeks of lies, it means it smells of lies. You cannot really smell a lie. It is just an expression. To come clean means to tell the truth.
I smell a rat because the MTR's explanation of the delay is hard to believe. Even Transport Secretary Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said he was surprised by the MTR's sudden announcement of a delay. If it is really true that last month's rainstorm caused the delay, why did the MTR wait so long to tell Cheung Bing-leung and the public? The government owns more than half of the MTR. This means more than half belongs to the public. The two-year delay will cost the public billions of dollars extra. Heads must roll. This means those responsible for the delay and cover-up must be fired.
我心生暗疑（smell a rat），它散發着（reeks）謊言的氣味。香港人也不笨，他們也嗅出不對頭的氣味（smell a rat）。港鐵需要和盤托出（come clean）。要是他們不直接招供（come clean），香港人便會懷疑當中有甚麼隱瞞（cover-up）。若你smell a rat，即是說你懷疑某人向你撒謊，或有些甚麼不老實的事情發生。港鐵歸咎上個月的大雨令通往廣州的高鐵工程延誤兩年。但我smell a rat，即是說我不相信港鐵。我認為港鐵在隱瞞（covering up）真相。
若你懷疑有cover-up，即是你認為有人嘗試在嚴重的事情上隱瞞真相。我認為港鐵在隱瞞（covering up）高鐵工程延誤兩年的真相。若某事reeks即它散發着臭味。喝許多酒的人身上會散發着（reek）酒精的味道。公廁也多是惡臭難聞（reek）。當某事reeks of lies，即是說它帶着謊話的氣味。你當然不能真的嗅到謊言，那只是一個習語。To come clean即是道出真相。
我心生暗疑（smell a rat），因為港鐵對延期的解釋實在令人難以置信。即使運輸局局長張炳良，也對港鐵突然宣佈延期感到驚訝。如果上月的雷雨真的導致延期，為何港鐵要等這麼久才告知張炳良和公眾﹖政府擁有多於一半的港鐵股權，即是說，港鐵有多於一半是屬於公眾的。延期兩年會花費額外數以十億的公帑。Heads must roll，即是說，總要有人被炒魷，為延期和隱瞞真相（cover-up）負責。
mickchug@gmail.com
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=283138§ion_name=wtt&kw=126