VOA慢速英语2021--全球首家北极熊酒店在中国开业

A hotel that calls itself the world's first "polar bear hotel" has opened in northeastern China.

The Polar Bear Hotel is part of the Harbin Polarland amusement park in Harbin, the capital and largest city in Heilongjiang province. It opened earlier this month and promised that guests would be able to see live polar bears from all 21 guest rooms.

"Whether you're eating, playing or sleeping, polar bears will keep you company," Harbin Polarland said in a statement on the WeChat messenger service.

Photos and videos from Chinese state media showed people watching two polar bears in a closed, indoor space with artificial ice and small pools of water.

Yang Liu is a spokeswoman for Harbin Polarland. She told Reuters that the indoor area is only part of the bears' total living space. She said they are also let outdoors when temperature and air quality permit.

Liu added there has been "very high" interest in staying at the hotel, where rooms cost from about $290 to $351 a night.

But some animal rights activists² have criticized the hotel.

Jason Baker³ is vice¹ president at animal rights group PETA. He told Reuters, "Polar bears belong in the Arctic, not in zoos or glass boxes in aquariums⁵ – and certainly not in hotels."

He added, "Polar bears are active for up to 18 hours a day in nature, roaming home ranges that can span thousands of miles, where they enjoy a real life."

In 2016, a shopping center in the southern city of Guangzhou drew worldwide criticism after videos showed a polar bear named Pizza lying on her side in a glass-walled area.

Harbin Polarland was established in 2005. It calls itself the world's first polar performing arts amusement park.

Words in This Story

amusement park – n. large park designed for fun, often with rides

artificial – adj. not natural, but made by people

aquarium⁴ – n. a building people can visit to see water animals and plants

roam – v. to move around a place without any purpose

span – v. to reach or extend across

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

4 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

5 aquariums   

n.养鱼缸，水族馆( aquarium的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Biotope aquariums represent the natural environments of ornamental fish. 生态鱼缸表现出观赏鱼的自然生活环境。 来自互联网
• There are aquariums in many cities in the world. 世界上好多城市有水族馆。 来自互联网