Mon, Dec 08, 2008 page15

• Swiss bunker hotel: no frills but nuclear blast protection 瑞士防核碉堡化身為「零星級旅館」

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  At the Zero Star Hotel in Switzerland, you can spend the night in a nuclear bunker and it won’t cost a bomb.

  The sun has set on the eastern Swiss village of 4,000 souls and hardly a person is to be seen on its narrow streets.

  However, there is a small buzz by the community’s bomb shelter — the new Zero Star Hotel conceived by artist brothers Frank and Patrik Riklin is having a test night before launching operations full time.

  

  Butler Ruedi Gasser prepares beds for a test-sleeping in the Zero Star Hotel fitted in a nuclear bunker in the northeastern Swiss town of Sevelen, on Nov. 14, 2008. 十一月十四日，瑞士東北部塞瓦崙鎮由防核地下碉堡改建而成的「零星級飯店」中，管家魯迪．蓋瑟舖床預備迎接試住活動。 照片：法新社

  PHOTO: AFP

  For 10 to 30 Swiss francs (NT$275 – NT$825) budget travelers can rent dormitory style rooms in the bunker that offer basic comforts.

  “There is a choice between four types of beds: single, bunk, double beds and rustic, wooden country beds,” said Patrik.

  Each Swiss community has a nuclear bomb shelter for its residents, built during the days of the Cold War.

  With the threat of nuclear confrontation gone with the collapse of communism, the bunkers are viewed by most Swiss towns as nothing more than a deep hole in the municipal budget.

  “The town asked us to convert the bunker and we decided to launch the zero star concept,” said Frank.

  The only condition the town placed on the twin brothers was that they make it available within 24 hours in case of an emergency.

  “We want to be the opposite of the palaces in Dubai,” said Patrik.

  Interest and demand are strong they say, pointing to 50,000 clicks to their Web site over the past month.

  (AFP)

  在瑞士這家由原子彈防空洞改建而成的「零星級旅館」中，你可以經濟實惠的價格住上一晚。

  這天傍晚，這個有四千居民的瑞士東部村落，狹窄的街道上人煙稀少。

  然而，社區防空洞讓這個地方稍稍活絡了起來──由藝術家兄弟檔法蘭克和派屈克•瑞科林籌劃的新「零星級旅館」，現正舉辦正式營運前的試住活動。

  旅客支付十到三十元瑞士法郎（新台幣兩百七十五元到八百二十五元）的租金，就可入住這個地下碉堡的團體寢室，裡面提供基本舒適的設備。

  派屈克說：「我們提供四種不同的床型：單人床、上下舖床、雙人床和鄉村風木板床。」

  瑞士各區在冷戰時期都建造了原子彈防空洞供當地居民躲避。

  隨著共產主義瓦解、原子彈攻擊的威脅解除，瑞士多數市鎮將這些地下碉堡視為消耗地方自治預算的無底洞。

  法蘭克說：「該市請我們改建這個地下碉堡，於是我們決定提出這個零星級旅館的概念。」

  該市對這對雙胞胎兄弟提出的唯一條件，就是必須二十四小時開放地下碉堡，以防緊急事故發生。

  派屈克說：「我們希望將它打造成與杜拜豪華飯店相反的旅館。」

  他們表示，從過去一個月他們網站的點閱率高達五萬人次看來，大家對這個概念的興趣和需求都相當濃厚。

  （法新社�翻譯：袁星塵）

  For your information

  TODAY’S WORDS 今日單字

  1. conceive v.i./v.t. 構想出 (gou4 xiang3 chu1) 例: Oliver conceived a plan to double his salary within two years. (奧立佛想到一個讓薪水在兩年內加倍的計畫。) 2. dormitory n. 團體寢室 (tuan2 ti2 qin3 shi4)，學生宿舍 (xue2 sheng1 su4 she4) 例: Gertrude refused to sleep in a dormitory and insisted on getting a private room. (葛楚德拒絕睡團體寢室，堅持要自己住一間房。) 3. confrontation n. 對抗 (dui4 kang4) 例: I witnessed an angry confrontation between two motorists on the way to work. (我上班途中目睹兩名駕駛激烈衝突的場面。) 4. available adj. 有空的 (you3 kong4 de5)，可利用的 (ke3 li4 yong4 de5) 例: Danny is always available to work at short notice. (丹尼總是可以配合臨時通知上工。)

  For your information

  READING COMPREHENSION閱讀測驗

  1. The Zero Star Hotel is... a. cheaper than average. b. moderately priced. c. very expensive. 2. Has the hotel opened yet? a. Yes, it has. b. No, it hasn’t. c. The article doesn’t say. 3. Demand for the hotel has been... a. strong. b. weak. c. difficult to measure. 4. Are the brothers free to do whatever they want with the bunker? a. Yes, they are. b. No, they aren’t. c. The article doesn’t say.

  For your information

  SAY WHAT? 說說看

  cost a bomb 所費不貲 Something that costs a bomb is very expensive. In the article, a night at the Zero Star Hotel won’t cost a bomb, because it is very cheap. Examples: “Apart from being unhealthy, smoking costs a bomb these days, so I decided to quit,” or “You should think carefully before moving out. It costs a bomb to live on your own.” 若說某物「cost a bomb」，就表示它非常貴。文章中說，在「零星級旅館」住一晚「won’t cost a bomb」，因為它非常便宜。 例如：「除了有害健康外，最近抽菸也所費不貲，所以我決定戒菸」，或是「你最好想清楚再搬出去，自己一個人住要花很多錢」。

  For your information

  OUT LOUD 對話練習

  Eunice: I’m going backpacking across Europe next month. I can’t wait! Mavis: That sounds like fun. But won’t it be expensive? Eunice: Not if I stay in hostels. They’re all dirt cheap. Mavis: Aren’t you nervous about it? Eunice: A little bit, but as long as I’m sensible I shouldn’t have any problems. Mavis: Yes, I think so. Well, have fun. Eunice: Thanks! I’ll send you a postcard. 尤妮絲：我等不及下個月要去環歐自助旅行了！ 馬韋斯：聽起來很好玩，但不會很貴嗎？ 尤妮絲：如果我住青年旅舍就不會，那裡便宜得要命。 馬韋斯：妳去住那種地方不會緊張嗎？ 尤妮絲：有一點，但只要我保持警覺，應該就不會有什麼問題。 馬韋斯：嗯，我想也是。那就祝妳玩得開心囉。 尤妮絲：謝啦！我會寄明信片給你。 dirt cheap　便宜得要命 If something is dirt cheap, it’s extremely cheap. For example: “My parent’s have just come back from Nepal. They say everything is dirt cheap once you get away from the tourist traps.” 如果說某物「dirt cheap」，就表示它非常便宜。例如：「我父母剛從尼泊爾回來，他們說除了那些騙觀光客錢的地方外，其他地方的東西都便宜得要命」。
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