VOA慢速英语2014 乌克兰前总统行宫成旅游景点

 

Ukraine Former President's Estate Is Now a Tourist Site 乌克兰前总统行宫成旅游景点

Let’s be honest.

Most of us wonder how presidents, kings, queens or other rulers live. I know I do. If the White House were suddenly available, I would pour myself a glass of presidential wine, and have a seat in the White House living room. Perhaps I would take a ride on Air Force One, the president’s airplane. Live large, as we say!

This is easier to do when the leader of your country is forced to flee a revolution. Just ask Ukrainians. When Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia, Ukrainians were finally able to see the lap of luxury in which the former president lived.

Before we tell you more about the property where he once lived, you will need some adjectives, words like opulent, extravagant¹, palatial² and luxurious³. Those words even sound expensive!

More than six months has passed since Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia. But the new Ukrainian government has yet to gain control of his palatial estate. Protesters occupy the grounds and opened it to visitors. And they have refused to turn it over to the government. 

Ukrainians were shocked when protesters in February forced open the entrance to Mezhigirya (mih-zhi-GEAR-ee-uh), Mr. Yanukovych's private residence. The property is opulent, luxurious and estimated to be worth over one billion U.S. dollars. Such a high estimate only proves what many Ukrainians believed all along – that their country’s leaders were corrupt⁴.

Some Ukrainians still do not trust government officials. The man still controlling the estate is commandant Denis Tarahkotelyk. He refuses to surrender the property over to the government.

He says two conditions must be met. First, the officials would need to take inventory⁵, meaning recording⁶ details of everything on the grounds. Second is the appraisal⁷, knowing what everything is worth. That way, he says, if something goes missing they will know who is responsible.

Some criticize the groups now in control of Mezhigirya. But interested Ukrainians and wedding parties keep arriving. In fact, since August, they are coming by the boatload.

But it is not just interest in the former president or parties that bring people to the estate.

One of Ukraine’s earliest monasteries⁸ once occupied the grounds. Because of the religious importance many feel that the property should be kept as a national park.

Henadiy works as a guide with Smile Tours.

“It is important for tourism because it gives a patriotic⁹ and religious education to people. Not only to Ukrainians but also because it started the spreading of our orthodox faith.”

The grounds now have a world-class training center for bomb-sniffing and attack dogs. Other once private areas are now open to the public. They include a golf course, a private zoo, and an orchard¹⁰ filled with fruit trees.

A Ukrainian woman named Tamara says opening the estate to the public is a good educational tool.

Tamara says the community should decide how the grounds are used. She adds that if the estate remains¹¹ a tourist attraction, the cost of admission may have to go up. She says that $2 per person is not enough money to pay the cost of operating the estate through the cold winter months.

Those controlling the once closed-off residence agree it should eventually become a museum exploring the issue of corruption¹².

Some of them, like Denis Tarahkotelyk, say they even plan to fight corruption by entering politics.

But even after negotiating physical control, officials in Ukraine will have an international legal case because much of the estate was owned through western companies.

1 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

2 palatial   

adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的

参考例句：

• Palatial office buildings are being constructed in the city.那个城市正在兴建一些宫殿式办公大楼。
• He bought a palatial house.他买了套富丽堂皇的大房子。

3 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

4 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

5 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

6 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

7 appraisal   

n.对…作出的评价；评价，鉴定，评估

参考例句：

• What's your appraisal of the situation?你对局势是如何评估的？
• We need to make a proper appraisal of his work.对于他的工作我们需要做出适当的评价。

8 monasteries   

修道院( monastery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In ancient China, there were lots of monasteries. 在古时候，中国有许多寺院。
• The Negev became a religious center with many monasteries and churches. 内格夫成为许多庙宇和教堂的宗教中心。

9 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

10 orchard   

n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场

参考例句：

• My orchard is bearing well this year.今年我的果园果实累累。
• Each bamboo house was surrounded by a thriving orchard.每座竹楼周围都是茂密的果园。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。