People are fascinated by places that were once lively but later became abandoned. These places, often called ghost towns, possess a strange beauty that invites people to piece together the scattered clues of past stories. One of the most intriguing can be found in Kolmanskop, Namibia. Sand has invaded every corner of the abandoned buildings of Kolmanskop and is gradually swallowing them whole.
Located in the Namib Desert in southern Africa, Kolmanskop used to be a fancy town in the middle of a dry, endless desert. This place sprung up rapidly after the discovery of diamonds in 1908. As news of the amazing find spread, people flocked to the area to seek their fortunes. Soon, it became a dynamic town that contributed a significant share of the world’s diamond production. Kolmanskop boasted the first X-ray station in the southern hemisphere. It even had the first tram, a type of train that traveled on tracks along public streets, in Africa.
However, the boom in diamond production around Kolmanskop was short-lived. A series of events led to the town’s fall and eventual collapse. In the late 1920s, a much larger diamond field was found south of Kolmanskop. In addition, fewer and fewer diamonds were being found in the area. As a result, by 1956, the town was completely abandoned.
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Kolmanskop wasn’t ready to fade into the sands, though. The De Beers mining company opened a museum there in 1980 to preserve the town’s history. Moreover, a private company has been offering tours to Kolmanskop since 2002. Tourists can see old buildings in various states of ruin as the sand creeps in and invades the structures. Though the diamonds are gone, Kolmanskop’s magic lives on, with its history drawing curious souls to its dusty streets.
人們著迷於曾經熱鬧但後來被棄置的地方。這些地方 ── 通常被稱為鬼城─擁有一種怪異的美麗，吸引人們將過往故事的零散線索拼湊起來。最有趣的廢墟之一可以在納米比亞的卡曼斯科見到。沙子已經侵入卡曼斯科廢棄建築的每個角落，逐漸將它們整個吞噬。
卡曼斯科位於非洲南部的納米布沙漠，曾經是乾燥且寬廣無際沙漠中的繁華城鎮。1908年發現鑽石後，這個地方迅速崛起。隨著這一驚人發現的消息傳開，人們紛紛湧入該地區尋求財富。卡曼斯科很快便成為一個生機勃勃的城鎮，在全世界鑽石產量中貢獻了一大部分。卡曼斯科擁有南半球第一個X 光站。它甚至擁有非洲第一輛有軌電車─一種在公共街道的軌道上行駛的電車。
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然而，卡曼斯科周遭鑽石生產的熱潮很短暫。一連串事件導致該城鎮沒落，並在最終瓦解。1920年代末期，在卡曼斯科以南的地方發現了一座更大的鑽石礦場。此外，在該地區發現的鑽石愈來愈少。結果，到了1956年，該城鎮徹底地被棄置了。
不過，卡曼斯科還沒準備好要消失在沙漠中。戴比爾斯礦業公司於1980年在那裡開設了一間博物館，以保存該鎮的歷史。此外，自2002年以來，一間私人企業一直在提供前往卡曼斯科的觀光服務。隨著沙子滲入、侵入建築物，遊客可以看到處於各種不同毀壞狀態的老舊建築。儘管鑽石消失了，但卡曼斯科的魅力依然存在，它的歷史吸引著好奇的人們來到其塵土飛揚的街道。
Words in Use
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1. possess vt. 擁有，具有
Family photographs possess the power to bring back happy memories.
家庭合照具有喚起快樂回憶的力量。
2. scattered a. 散布的
The scattered leaves painted the forest floor in a mix of gold and red. 灑落一地的樹葉讓森林的地面交錯染上金黃色和紅色。
3. invade vt. 侵襲，入侵
The flood invaded numerous homes, causing serious damage to property. 那場洪水侵襲好幾戶人家，導致財物嚴重損失。
4. dynamic a. 充滿活力的
The dynamic city is lively both during the day and at night.
那座生氣勃勃的城市白天和夜晚都很熱鬧。
5. contribute vt. 貢獻
? The artist contributed a lot of creative ideas to the unique design.
該藝術家為那獨特的設計貢獻了許多創意點子。
Practical Phrases
1. spring up 迅速成長；如雨後春筍般出現
spring 三態為：spring, sprang / sprung , sprung。
During the festival season, pop-up markets spring up downtown. 節慶期間，快閃市集在市中心接連出現。
2. flock to + 地方 湧入……（某地）
Thousands of tourists flock to the beach every summer to enjoy the sun and waves.
每年夏天數千遊客湧入那座海灘，享受陽光和海浪。
3. a series of... 一連串∕一系列……
The novel depicted a series of events that kept readers hooked until the end.
該小說講述一連串事件，讓讀者一直到結局都很入迷。
To be continued tomorrow（明日待續）
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本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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