现实版“斧头帮”：加拿大飞斧酒吧受热捧

Combining razor-sharp axes and alcohol sounds like a very bad idea, but it seems to be working for the Timber Lounge, a popular axe-throwing bar in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

把刀头锋利的斧子和酒水结合起来听上去是个非常糟糕的主意，但是似乎在“木材酒吧”却行得通。“木材酒吧”位于加拿大新斯科舍省哈利法克斯市，是一家非常受欢迎的“飞斧”酒吧。

The Timber Lounge offers patrons sick of urban sports like bowling¹, darts² or pool a new way to unwind. Axe-throwing has long been a popular pastime among lumberjacks in Nova Scotia, and Darren Hudson, a fifth-generation sawmill operator from Shelburne County, decided³ to bring it to the masses. He partnered with fellow axe-throwing enthusiast⁴ Marc Chisholm and together they founded the city’s first axe-throwing lounge. Adrenalin junkies can get their fix by balancing sharp hatchets⁵ and double-edged axes over their heads before hurling⁶ them at painted wooden bullseyes. Between sessions, they can step into the lounge area to enjoy Nova Scotia food and craft beers.

“木材酒吧”给厌倦了保龄球、飞镖、台球等城市运动的顾客们提供了一种放松的新方法。掷飞斧长久以来都是广受新斯科舍省伐木工人欢迎的消遣娱乐活动。达伦?哈德森是谢尔本郡一家锯木厂的第五代经营者，他决定把飞斧运动推广到大众。他和另一个飞斧爱好者马克?奇泽姆一起创建了本市第一家飞斧酒吧。喜欢这种刺激运动的人会先在头顶平衡一下锋利的短柄小斧和双刃斧，瞄准位置，然后再向彩色的木制靶眼投过去。在一场游戏结束后，他们可以走进酒吧间，享受新斯科舍省的食物和精酿啤酒。

斧头帮

Beer and sharp axes don’t really go well together, but Hudson says safety is their top priority. The most important rule of the Timber Lounge is that no one throws axes when they’re too intoxicated⁷. Coaches employed here give beginners quick lessons on how to handle and throw the axes and are also responsible with keeping an eye on patrons and making sure they don’t drink too much alcohol. Also, weapons are always stored safely away from the lounge area, which is separated by the throwing lanes by a wood and Plexiglass wall.

啤酒和锋利的斧头其实并不能友好相处，但是哈德森说安全是第一位的。“木材酒吧”最重要的一项规定就是任何人喝醉后都不得掷飞斧。这里还聘请教练给新手做速成培训，教他们怎样握持和投掷斧头，教练也负责盯紧顾客，确保他们不要喝太多的酒。并且，这些武器总是安全地存放在远离休息区的地方，中间隔着靶道，由一面木质和有机玻璃制成的墙壁隔开。

“Axe throwing is great because it’s for everybody,” Hudson says. “Within just one evening someone can get exceptionally good at it. This year I’ve seen six people throw a bullseye on their first throw, it’s such a gratifying feeling.” And judging by how popular the Timber Lounge has become in just a few months since its grand opening, it’s clear that locals have really taking a liking⁸ to it.

“飞斧是特别棒的运动，因为每个人都可以玩，”哈德森说。“不到一晚上的时间，人就可以非常好地掌握它。今年我已经看到有六个人第一次掷的时候就中了靶心，非常有满足感。”自盛大开业以来，“木材酒吧”在几个月之内就有了这么高的人气，从这一点来评判，很明显当地人真的非常喜欢它。

“The group bookings have been coming in steady and usually on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, we’re just packed,” co-owner Marc Chisholm says. “Typically groups range from eight to 14 people and we’ve had a few bachelor parties come through.” The pastime has become so popular that there’s now a local axe-throwing league being held at the Timber Lounge every Wednesday.

“团体预订正在稳步上升，通常周四、周五和周六晚上都订满了，”合伙人马克?奇泽姆说。“一般来说团体人数在8到14人，并且我们还成功举办过几次单身派对。”这项娱乐活动变得如此受欢迎，每周三都有当地的飞斧联赛在“木材酒吧”举办。

Axe-throwing at the Timber Lounge costs $25 to $35 for a 90-minute, two-lane session.

在“木材酒吧”，掷一场90分钟的飞斧、租两个靶道的价钱是25美元到35美元。

Vocabulary

unwind: 放松

adrenalin junkies: 喜欢刺激的人

bullseye: 靶眼

1 bowling   

n.保龄球运动

参考例句：

• Bowling is a popular sport with young and old.保龄球是老少都爱的运动。
• Which sport do you 1ike most,golf or bowling?你最喜欢什么运动，高尔夫还是保龄球？

2 darts   

n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• His darts trophy takes pride of place on the mantelpiece. 他将掷镖奖杯放在壁炉顶上最显著的地方。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I never saw so many darts in a bodice! 我从没见过紧身胸衣上纳了这么多的缝褶！ 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 enthusiast   

n.热心人，热衷者

参考例句：

• He is an enthusiast about politics.他是个热衷于政治的人。
• He was an enthusiast and loved to evoke enthusiasm in others.他是一个激情昂扬的人，也热中于唤起他人心中的激情。

5 hatchets   

n.短柄小斧( hatchet的名词复数 )；恶毒攻击；诽谤；休战

参考例句：

• Hatchets, knives, bayonets, swords, all brought to be sharpened, were all red with it. 他们带来磨利的战斧、短刀、刺刀、战刀也全都有殷红的血。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• They smashed all the carved paneling with their axes and hatchets. 圣所中一切雕刻的、们现在用斧子锤子打坏了。 来自互联网

6 hurling   

n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂

参考例句：

• The boat rocked wildly, hurling him into the water. 这艘船剧烈地晃动，把他甩到水中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Fancy hurling away a good chance like that, the silly girl! 想想她竟然把这样一个好机会白白丢掉了，真是个傻姑娘！ 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 intoxicated   

喝醉的，极其兴奋的

参考例句：

• She was intoxicated with success. 她为成功所陶醉。
• They became deeply intoxicated and totally disoriented. 他们酩酊大醉，东南西北全然不辨。

8 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。