wNaked Swiss hikers must cover up

wNaked Swiss hikers must cover up

裸体瑞士旅行者必须穿点衣服

Anyone found wandering the Alps wearing nothing but a sturdy（强健的，健全的）pair of hiking boots will now be fined.

Appenzell is considered one of the most conservative（保守的）regions of Switzerland; it gave women the vote only in 1990.

Locals have been outraged（震惊的，义愤填膺的） by an apparent upsurge（涌起，高潮） in hikers who think the best way to appreciate the mountains is with their clothes off.

The vote was taken with a show of hands at Appenzell's annual Landsgemeinde, an open-air meeting of all registered voters held in the town square.

Appenzell is one of only two Swiss cantons that still decide local government policy in this way.

There was a big majority in favour of prohibiting（禁止，阻止） naked hiking, and introducing fines of Sfr 200 ($175).

Inappropriate

Among local people, it is hard to find anyone who has a good word to say for the hikers.

"I think it's disgraceful（可耻的，不名誉的）," said one elderly gentleman. "God may have created us naked, but he gave us clothes to walk around in."

"It's just not right," said a woman. "Not at all appropriate for our country."

Interestingly, however, no-one actually seems to have seen a naked hiker.

"No, I've never seen one," said a local farmer. "Thank goodness, because if I had they would certainly have got a piece of my mind."

Hiker disappointment

Among naked hikers themselves, there is disappointment at what they see as an over-reaction to an innocent hobby which disturbs no-one.

"I'm not out to annoy anyone," insists one of them, who goes by the colourful pseudonym¹ (匿名，假名，笔名)of Puistola Grottenpösch.

Puistola and many other naked hikers may be comfortable baring their all up in the mountains, but the controversy² in Appenzell has made them very shy about revealing their real names.

"For me hiking naked is all about getting out into natural surroundings, peaceful surroundings, and challenging myself a little bit," says Puistola.

"Of course I meet people from time to time, but they always say hello, sometimes they ask aren't you cold. But they're just as friendly as if I was wearing clothes."

Nevertheless（仍然，不过）, as Puistola strides along a snowy hiking trail wearing nothing but a hat, gloves, and hiking boots, it's hard to see what the attraction of naked hiking really is.

"Of course the human body needs protection," he concedes（承认，让步，退让）.

"So right now I'm wearing hiking boots and gloves and a hat, because it's a little bit chilly³. And if it's really cold, or windy, or wet, then of course going naked just doesn't work, and I wear clothes just like everyone else.

"But right now it's nice, there is a gentle breeze, and I can feel the Sun on my body; you can't because you're dressed."

Legal doubts

Meanwhile some Swiss lawyers are describing Appenzell's decision to prohibit naked hiking as akin⁴ to using a sledgehammer（长柄大锤） to crack a nut.

"I estimate there are only around 20 to 25 naked hikers in the whole of Switzerland," says lawyer Daniel Kettiger. "So really arresting them and fining them is a bit silly. And our courts do have better things to do."

What's more, Mr Kettiger points out, Appenzell may have over-reached itself legally in deciding to introduce a prohibition⁵.

"The Swiss parliament voted to remove public nudity（裸露）from the penal⁶ code(刑法典) in 1991," he explains. "So at a federal level, naked hiking is not punishable, and Appenzell's laws are not higher than the federal ones."

Image damage

But Appenzell is determined⁷ to go ahead. The canton has some of the most stunning⁸ mountain scenery in Switzerland, and its tourist board has been running a high-profile international marketing⁹ campaign, highlighting the beauty of Appenzell's hiking trails.

Tourist officers were concerned to discover that Appenzell was regularly appearing in the internet chatrooms of German nudist groups, describing it as the best place for naked hiking.

This was not the image they were hoping for, and, Daniel Kettiger suggests, it might be the real reason behind Appenzell's ban on naked hiking.

"They really did a great job building up the hiking tourism," he explains. "And I think they fear naked hikers could harm their image. They want to be a Mecca for hikers - but not a Mecca for nude¹⁰ hikers."

Appenzell Innerrhoden's decision is being watched closely by other alpine¹¹ regions of Switzerland, and the political climate for naked hikers does seem to be turning decidedly chilly.

Neighbouring Appenzell Outerrhoden is also proposing（计划，打算，向。。。提意见） a ban on what local politicians call "shameless behaviour".

And just over the mountains in canton Glarus, there is nervousness（神经紧张，情绪不安） that if naked hikers are driven out of Appenzell, they may choose Glarus as their next favourite spot.

But Puistola Grottenpösch and his fellow hikers are defiant（挑衅的，目中无人的）, believing they have Swiss federal law on their side.

"We naked hikers have never broken any law with our hobby," he insists.

"And we will fight up to the highest federal court for our right to be naked in public, even in Appenzell."

(本文由在线英语听力室编辑整理)

1 pseudonym   

n.假名，笔名

参考例句：

• Eric Blair wrote under the pseudonym of George Orwell.埃里克·布莱尔用乔治·奧威尔这个笔名写作。
• Both plays were published under the pseudonym of Philip Dayre.两个剧本都是以菲利普·戴尔的笔名出版的。

2 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

3 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

4 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

5 prohibition   

n.禁止；禁令，禁律

参考例句：

• The prohibition against drunken driving will save many lives.禁止酒后开车将会减少许多死亡事故。
• They voted in favour of the prohibition of smoking in public areas.他们投票赞成禁止在公共场所吸烟。

6 penal   

adj.刑罚的；刑法上的

参考例句：

• I hope you're familiar with penal code.我希望你们熟悉本州法律规则。
• He underwent nineteen years of penal servitude for theft.他因犯了大窃案受过十九年的苦刑。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

9 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

10 nude   

adj.裸体的；n.裸体者，裸体艺术品

参考例句：

• It's a painting of the Duchess of Alba in the nude.这是一幅阿尔巴公爵夫人的裸体肖像画。
• She doesn't like nude swimming.她不喜欢裸泳。

11 alpine   

adj.高山的；n.高山植物

参考例句：

• Alpine flowers are abundant there.那里有很多高山地带的花。
• Its main attractions are alpine lakes and waterfalls .它以高山湖泊和瀑布群为主要特色。