搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。
(单词翻译)
AS IT IS 2015-09-08 Missile Silos Turned into 'Survival Condos' 导弹发射井变成“生存公寓”
When looking for a new home, many people consider things like the safety of the area, the nearness to public transportation or the quality of the neighborhood school.
Some other people -- survivalists for example -- may pick a home that can protect them against nuclear explosions, terrorist attacks or a breakdown1 in law and order.
A survivalist is a person who believes that government and society will soon fail completely. They store food and water, weapons and power sources to survive when that happens.
These people might want to live in a special condominium, or condo, in the United States.
Two reporters for VOA News recently visited a facility near the town of Concordia, Kansas. In that town, costly2 condos have been built inside a missile silo that is no longer used.
In the wilderness3 of northern Kansas, you can find heavily armed guards, armored vehicles, high-resolution cameras and gun stations. If you think this is a military center, think again.
This was once an Atlas4 intercontinental ballistic missile silo. The silo was part of the U.S. defense5 system during the Cold War.
Developer Larry Hall bought the silo after it was decommissioned in 1965. He has turned it into a world of comfortable, high-class living inside.
"What we've got here is an Atlas F missile silo, that in terms of capabilities6, is pretty amazing. It would cost $120 million to reproduce what we start with."
The center has 14 levels connected by an elevator. It has a 25-meter-long swimming pool, a high-end movie theater and a rock climbing wall.
The center is meant to work if the grid7 goes down, meaning if the power systems, or grids8, in the U.S. are unable to supply people with power. The silo has very carefully planned water and power sources in the form of generators10, batteries and wind turbines.
(LARRY HALL) "If we lost the grid connection, we got the primary generator9, (and) secondary generator. We have our own wind turbine, and we have a battery bank."
The 14 units are designed so people can live here for five years without any contact with the outside world. One whole level is used for storing powdered food. There are also farms that do not require sunlight. These guarantee that residents have a lasting11 supply of fresh vegetables and fish.
You can even pick your view out the window. The electronic windows in the facility cost $15,000 each. They help to reduce any unease about living underground for a long period of time by supplying pictures of different seasons and different cities.
(LARRY HALL) "If you want, you know, spring, summer, winter and fall in New York City, you can live in New York City. If you want to be in San Francisco or any place else, we use a Red One camera, in high-definition format12, and we record it for 24 hours."
So, how much does it cost to live underground in a missile silo? A home with more than 170 square meters of floor space starts at $3 million. A place half that size costs about $1.5 million. But you have to be rich enough to make a full payment in cash.
Most people living there use their condos as a vacation home. Two children named Leighton and Luke are spending their summer here.
(LEIGHTON) "I feel like nobody else because nobody else gets to be in an underground silo and have awesome13 stuff like a rock wall."
(LUKE) "It feels like sometimes you are not even underground; like you are just in, like, a normal house."
The first Survival Condo Project is completely filled. A second silo is now being built. And half of those homes have already been sold.
Underground living in a missile silo may make the owners feel secure. But, it is only for those who can afford it.
Words in This Story
missile silo – n. a very deep, underground launch station for a missile
ballistic – adj. describing something shot through the sky for great distances
decommissioned – v. to officially stop using (a ship, weapon, dam, etc.) : to remove (something) from service
grid – n. the system of providing electricity to large areas : examples : “He lives off the grid and uses only the power he makes himself.” If the grid goes down and there is no longer any power sources, will you be ready?”
generator – n. a device that uses a motor to produce electricity
battery – n. a device for storing energy or electricity
turbine – n. an engine with parts that spin because of air water or steam pressure
powder – n. something (as a food, medicine, or cosmetic) made in or changed to the form of a powder
high-definition – adj. having a very clear picture and a wide screen
1 breakdown | |
n.垮,衰竭;损坏,故障,倒塌 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 costly | |
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 wilderness | |
n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等,荒漠 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 atlas | |
n.地图册,图表集 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 defense | |
n.防御,保卫;[pl.]防务工事;辩护,答辩 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 capabilities | |
n.能力( capability的名词复数 );可能;容量;[复数]潜在能力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 grid | |
n.高压输电线路网;地图坐标方格;格栅 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 grids | |
n.格子( grid的名词复数 );地图上的坐标方格;(输电线路、天然气管道等的)系统网络;(汽车比赛)赛车起跑线 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 generator | |
n.发电机,发生器 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 generators | |
n.发电机,发生器( generator的名词复数 );电力公司 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 lasting | |
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 format | |
n.设计,版式;[计算机]格式,DOS命令:格式化(磁盘),用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据;v.使格式化,设计,安排 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 awesome | |
adj.令人惊叹的,难得吓人的,很好的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。