科技动态:为2012世界末日搭建避难所

According to the Maya calendar, the world is expected to end on December 21st, 2012. Whether by natrual disaster, nuclear fallout or some other doomsday event. One southern Californian man is keeping the deadline in mind with hopes of providing a solution. Entrepreneur Robert Vicino is building and selling spaces in underground shelters across the country. He is the visionary behind the $ 200 million project called VIVOS with the goal to retrofit or build as many as 20 bunkers around the US, ahead of any catastrophic event that may threaten life as we know it.

无论是自然灾害，核泄漏，还是其他灾害，根据玛雅太阳历的记载，2012年12月21日将是世界末日。不管怎样，一加利福尼亚州男子将这个日子记在了心头，并且期望在这个日子来临前能够提供解出决方案。公司创建人Robert Vicino正在全国范围内建造并销售地下庇护所。他是这个名为VIVOS，预计耗资2亿美元计划的梦想家，以在重大灾害前建立并改装尽可能多的避难所为己任。

"The Maya calendar just happens to be the perfect time and there is a lot of awareness¹ we haven't on there on our websites. Kind of a metaphor² for, for, hey, if you believe, here is the number of days. But you know, who is to say when it's gonna happen? It could happen tomorrow. You know, whatever the reason that you may need a shelter like this can happen any time."

“网上已经有相关灾难灭亡的流言，玛雅太阳历只是给了我们一个准确的日期。就像是一种暗喻：如果你相信，那么就是那一天了。但是，你要知道，谁会真的去说世界末日就是那天呢？也许世界末日就是明天。不管是什么灾难，我们只是去准备避难所以备不时之需。”

Vicino denies that he is promoting a doomsday scenario³ in order to move his product and increase the number of units sold. He says there are plenty of other forces in play they creating a concern for many who feel that the end of the world may happen in their lifetime.

Vicino拒绝因为末日说而改变产品或增加生产量。他表示，媒体的宣传给大众造成了很大影响，民众害怕在有生之年经历世界末日。

"So we are just providing a solution. We are not fanning the flames of fear. The media is already doing a good enough job of that for us and Mother Nature, and perhaps the Al-Qaeda. We are just providing a solution. That's all we are."

“因此我们只是提供一个解决方案。我们并不是在添油加醋，媒体宣传得已经够多了，庇护所，自然灾害，还有基地组织。我们只是提供一个解决方案，只是这样。”

Several including the one located in the Mojave Desert 170 miles from Los Angeles are former power stations with walls ladder 3-feet thick. Vicino emphasizes there are disarter-proof durability⁴.

包括距洛杉矶170英里的莫哈韦沙漠在内的几个地方被认为是抗灾效果最好的场所，莫哈韦沙漠废弃的发电厂，有3英尺厚的墙体。

"We are nuclear blasts resistant⁵, we are biological and chemical proof, we are waterproof⁶, we are earthquake proof to several force 10 earthquakes on the Richter scale. In fact, this entire facility can be shoved through the earth, sideways, 30 feet and it will not hurt the facility."

“这里防核辐射，防生物化学药剂的侵蚀，防水，抗地震，甚至能抗击10里氏地震。事实上，这整个庇护所可以移动30英尺都不会破损。”

The underground cities will all be located within 150-200 miles of major cities on high ground. Each one will be fully⁷ equipped to meet the needs of its inhabitants for up to 1 year. Vicino says he's already recieving 50-100 applications a day fielding international calls from a variety of interest parties.

这些地下小城都将被建造在主要城市地下50到100英里的地下。每一座地下城市都将能容纳地上居民长达一年之久。Vicino表示他每天都天能收到50到100个各地的申请电话。

In Los Angeles, I am John Russell for Reuters.

路透社消息，John Russell洛杉矶报道。

retrofit 改装，对…翻新改进

metaphor 暗喻

fan the flame 火上加油，使局势更趋紧张，煽动情绪

1 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

2 metaphor   

n.隐喻，暗喻

参考例句：

• Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
• In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。

3 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

4 durability   

n.经久性，耐用性

参考例句：

• Nylons have the virtue of durability.尼龙丝袜有耐穿的优点。

5 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

6 waterproof   

n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水

参考例句：

• My mother bought me a waterproof watch.我妈妈给我买了一块防水手表。
• All the electronics are housed in a waterproof box.所有电子设备都储放在一个防水盒中。

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。