英国卫报:西班牙小镇为何成疫情重灾区(14)

In three months, we have learned a lot.

在三个月的时间里，我们已经学习了很多。

It is notable that the rural black spots in Spain and Italy

值得注意的是，在西班牙和意大利爆发疫情的乡村，

are places that combine the intimacy¹ of small Mediterranean² communities with proximity³ to the highways of global travel and business.

既有地中海小型社区的亲密，又有接近全球旅行和商务的高速公路。

(San Pellegrino Terme, for example, gives its name to a brand of fizzy water sold around the world, but also welcomes tourists to its thermal⁴ baths.)

（比如，圣佩莱格里诺特尔梅就以它的名字命名了一个在世界各地销售的碳酸水品牌，但是也欢迎游客去那里泡温泉。）

Normally, for those places, that is a happy mix. When a virus strikes, it can prove deadly.

通常，对那些地方来说，这是个令人愉快的组合。当病毒爆发时，这就会是致命的。

The connection between Covid-19 and travel is especially grave for Spain, a country where tourism generates 12% of GDP.

新冠病毒和旅行的联系对西班牙来说尤其重要，在西班牙，旅游业贡献了GDP的12%。

Only the boldest pilgrims, for example, will pass through Santo Domingo this summer, which will be devastating⁵ to locals who depend on their custom.

比如，只有最胆大的朝圣者才会在这个夏天穿过圣多明各，这对依赖于他们的习俗的当地人来说是毁灭性的。

In Spain, the lockdown is being eased slowly, in a careful four-stage process that will take up to two months to complete.

在西班牙，封锁正在慢慢放松，该过程分为四个阶段，需要两个月的时间才能完成。

When I spoke⁶ to abbot Suarez, it was 11 May – the day that Santo Domingo entered the first stage of easing. I felt envious⁷.

5月11日，我和修道院院长苏亚雷斯进行了交谈，这天圣多明各进入了放松政策的第一阶段。我感到嫉妒。

Candeleda was still stuck in so-called “phase zero”.

坎德莱达还困在所谓的“准备阶段”。

We have since progressed, but we remain several weeks behind Santo Domingo in shaking off the effects of the virus on daily life.

自那以后，我们取得了进步，但是在摆脱病毒对日常生活的影响上，我们仍然落后圣多明各数周时间。

Suarez had just held the cathedral’s first mass for a small group of people – an experiment “to see how it worked”.

苏亚雷斯刚刚为一小部分人举行了教堂的第一次弥撒——一次来“看看它效果怎么样”的实验。

He was already thinking about numerous funeral masses to come.

他已经想到数不尽的葬礼弥撒会到来。

Elsewhere in Santo Domingo, groups of 10 people were now allowed to socialise,

在圣多明各的其他地方，现在已经允许10人的团体进行社交活动，

while bars and restaurants could serve clients at widely spaced outside tables.

而酒吧和餐馆则需设置相距很远的外桌为顾客提供服务。

I imagined a town that had suddenly burst back into life. I was wrong.

我设想这个小镇能突然恢复生机。我错了。

“People are still scared,” he said. “The truth is, we don’t know if life will ever be quite the same.”

他说，“人们仍然很害怕。事实上，我们不知道生活还会不会和以前一样。”

1 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

2 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

3 proximity   

n.接近，邻近

参考例句：

• Marriages in proximity of blood are forbidden by the law.法律规定禁止近亲结婚。
• Their house is in close proximity to ours.他们的房子很接近我们的。

4 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

5 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。