VOA慢速英语2015 导弹发射井变成“生存公寓”

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：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

2 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

3 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 atlas   

n.地图册，图表集

参考例句：

• He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
• The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

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：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

7 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

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：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句

9 generator   

n.发电机，发生器

参考例句：

• All the while the giant generator poured out its power.巨大的发电机一刻不停地发出电力。
• This is an alternating current generator.这是一台交流发电机。

10 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

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：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

13 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.