VOA慢速英语2019--百万人突袭51区

People Gather for Raid on US Government's Area 51

About 75 people arrived at the entrance to the once-secret Area 51 military site in the American state of Nevada early Friday to “storm” the base to see creatures from outer space.

Law enforcement officers detained at least two of the people.

In June, a post inviting¹ people to storm the site appeared on the internet. Millions of people saw the message. The “Storm Area 51” invitation led to musical performances and other events in Rachel and Hiko, two small towns near the base.

Lincoln County Sheriff Kerry Lee estimated late Thursday that about 1,500 people had gathered for the events. Lee said more than 150 people traveled several additional kilometers down dirt roads to get within selfie distance of the facility.

Area 51 has long been reported as a place where the United States government held beings from other planets.

“They can’t stop all of us,” read the internet invitation. “Let's see them aliens.”

The military answered with warnings that deadly force could be used if people entered the Nevada Test and Training Range. State and local officials said arrests would be made if people tried.

“It’s public land,” said the sheriff. “They’re allowed to go to the gate, as long as they don’t cross the boundary.”

A music group called Wily Savage² set up to perform Thursday near the Little A’Le’Inn hotel in Rachel. They began playing after dark for several hundred campers.

Daniel Martinez is a 31-year-old businessman from California. He was among the first to dance at the celebration. He wore a wolf “spirit hood” and a fur top. Air temperatures dropped to about seven degrees Celsius³ Thursday night.

“Here’s a big open space for people to be,” he said. “One person starts something and it infects everybody with positivity. Anything can happen if you give people a place to be.”

Other weekend events include a gathering⁴ Friday and Saturday at the Alien Research Center store in Hiko. Owner George Harris said those attending could enjoy music, movies and talks about extraterrestrial reports.

Officials reported no serious incidents related to the events, which are to take place through Sunday.

Michael Ian Borer is a sociologist⁵ working at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He studies popular culture and paranormal activity. Borer called the celebrations “a perfect blend of interest in aliens and the supernatural, government conspiracies⁶, and the desire to know what we don’t know.”

He added that, “Area 51 is a place where normal, ordinary citizens can’t go. When you tell people they can’t do something, they just want to do it more.”

Eric Holt, the Lincoln County emergency manager, said he believed officials could deal with as many as 30,000 visitors. Still, neighbors prepared for trouble after millions of people answered the internet post.

“Those that know what to expect camping in the desert are going to have a good time,” said Joerg Arnu of Rachel. He was concerned about those who do not.

“It will get cold at night. They’re not going to find what they’re looking for, and they are going to get angry,” Arnu said.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration closed nearby airspace, although Air Force planes could be heard in the sky.

I’m Caty Weaver⁷.

Words in This Story

allow - v to permit (something): to consider or treat (something) as acceptable?

boundary - n something that indicates or fixes a limit or extent?

positivity - n the quality or state of being good and.or hopeful

extraterrestrial - adj coming from or existing outside the planet Earth?

conspiracy⁸ - n a secret plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal?

ordinary - adj of a kind to be expected in the normal order of events?

paranormal - adj not scientifically explainable?

1 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

2 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

3 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 sociologist   

n.研究社会学的人，社会学家

参考例句：

• His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
• Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。

6 conspiracies   

n.阴谋，密谋( conspiracy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was still alive and hatching his conspiracies. 他还活着，策划着阴谋诡计。 来自辞典例句
• It appeared that they had engaged in fresh conspiracies from the very moment of their release. 看上去他们刚给释放，立刻开始新一轮的阴谋活动。 来自英汉文学

7 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

8 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。