HBO's Dramatic Series “Chernobyl”

At the site of what is arguably the most horrific (可怕的) accidental nuclear explosion in history, tourism is booming.

The success of HBO's dramatic series “Chernobyl (切尔诺贝利)” seems to have boosted the region's tourism industry, with leaders of guided tours to Chernobyl claiming that bookings have increased by about 40% compared to last year.

HBO debuted the first episode of “Chernobyl” on May 6, 2019. By the end of the month, Ukrainian (乌克兰的) tour company SoloEast saw a 30% rise in tourists compared to May 2018, and bookings for June, July and August are up by about 40%, company director Sergiy Ivanchuk told Reuters (路透社).

After the Chernobyl reactor exploded in 1986, radioactive particles quickly dispersed into the surrounding area and approximately 200,000 people were evacuated and relocated. Authorities declared a so-called exclusion zone covering 18 miles (30 kilometres) around the site of the explosion, and the abandoned towns remain uninhabited to this day.

But in 2010, the exclusion zone was opened to tourists and Ukrainian officials declared that any lingering (久缠不去的) radiation was “negligible”. Since then, Chernobyl tourism has grown in popularity, and the HBO series may have sparked even greater interest in the blighted (摧毁的) destination, tour guide Viktoria Brozhko told Reuters.

“Radiation makes the zone particularly interesting,” Ukrainian tour company Chernobyl Tour says on its website in a description of their company's one-day tour package. The company's tours now include visits to landmarks featured in the HBO series, such as the bunker (地堡) where local officials initially decided to delay evacuation (疏散).

During Chernobyl Tour's day trips to the site, visitors typically see monuments to victims; vacant and overgrown (草木丛生的) homes; an eerie (怪异的), abandoned amusement park; and the reactor that exploded, which is now entirely covered by a metal dome measuring 344 feet (105 metres) high.

Chernobyl Tour's website describes the exclusion zone as “safe for visitors”, though the company acknowledges that some places in the exclusion zone still have elevated (偏高的) radiation, which could pose some risk.

“We definitely would NOT recommend you staying at them for a long time”, representatives wrote on the website.

Reading Comprehension

Choose the correct answer for each question.

1. What does “debut” mean in line 1 of the 3rd paragraph?

A. To broadcast in public for the first time.

B. To introduce something to the public for the first time.

C. To be used by the public for the first time.

D. To collect something from the public for the first time.

2. How did SoloEast's business change compared to May 2018?

A. It had a 10% increase in tourists.

B. It had a 13% increase in tourists.

C. It had a 30% increase in tourists.

D. It had a 40% increase in tourists.

3. When did Chernobyl reactor explode?

A. In 2018.

B. In 2010.

C. In 1968.

D. In 1986.

4. Which of the following did not happen after the Chernobyl reactor exploded?

A. Radioactive particles dispersed into the surrounding area quickly.

B. Around 200,000 people were forced to leave and relocate.

C. An earthquake caused 200,000 injuries and deaths.

D. There was a so-called exclusion zone around the site of the explosion.

5. What does Ukrainian tour company Chernobyl Tour say on its website?

A. The radiation makes the exclusion zone particularly interesting.

B. The bunker where local officials stayed is not open to visitors.

C. There is no danger in any part of the exclusion zone now.

D. It is safe for visitors to stay at the exclusion zone for a long time.

答案：ACDCA

Vocabulary 基础词

arguably [ˈɑːɡjuəbli]

adv. 可论证地；可以说

boom [buːm]

n. (商业、贸易等)繁荣 vi. 迅速发展；繁荣；激增

英 to have a period of rapid growth; to become bigger, more successful, etc

dramatic [drəˈmætɪk]

adj. 给人深刻印象的；戏剧性的

记 词根记忆：drama(戏剧)+tic(有…性质的)→戏剧性的

director [dəˈrektə(r)]

n. 导演；董事；理事；主管

英 one of a group of senior managers who run a company

记 来自direct(v. 指导；导演)

explode [ɪkˈspləʊd]

v. 爆炸

派 explosion(n. 爆炸)

approximately [əˈprɒksɪmətli]

adv. 接近；近似地；大约

记 词根记忆：ap(表加强)+proxim(接近)+ate(表形容词)+ly(表副词)→不断接近→接近

authority [ɔːˈθɒrəti]

n. 权力；权威；授权；[pl.]官方，当权者，当局

记 联想记忆：作家(author)有权(authority)主宰主人公的命运

搭 centralised authority 中央集权 political authority 政治权力

radiation [ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃn]

n. 放射；辐射；放射线

destination [ˌdestɪˈneɪʃn]

n. 目的地；终点

英 a place to which sb/sth is going or being sent

delay [dɪˈleɪ]

v. (使)推迟，延迟 n. 延误，延迟

vacant [ˈveɪkənt]

adj. 空着的，未被占用的；(职位)空缺的

记 词根记忆：vac(空)+ant(…的)→空着的

acknowledge [əkˈnɒlɪdʒ]

vt. 承认；认可；确认；感谢

记 联想记忆：ac+know(知道)+ledge→大家都知道了，所以不得不承认→承认

例 I acknowledged him as an expert. 我承认他是一个专家。

representative [ˌreprɪˈzentətɪv]

n. 代表；销售代理 adj. 典型的；有代表性的

记 词根记忆：represent(代表)+ative(…的)→有代表性的

Vocabulary 进阶词

accidental [ˌæksɪˈdentl]

adj. 意外的；偶然的

搭 accidental death 意外死亡

debut [ˈdeɪbjuː]

n. 首次登台；初次亮相 v. 首次演出

记 法语词：开始→首次登台；初次亮相

episode [ˈepɪsəʊd]

n. 一段经历；一段时期；片段，插曲；(电视剧等的)一集

reactor [riˈæktə(r)]

n. 核反应堆

记 词根记忆：react(反应)+or(表名词，器物)→发生反应的东西→核反应堆

radioactive [ˌreɪdiəʊˈæktɪv]

adj. 放射性的；有辐射的

记 词根记忆：radio(光线)+act(做)+ive(…的)→发出光线的→放射性的

disperse [dɪˈspɜːs]

v. 分散；散开；疏散；散布

记 词根记忆：di(分离)+spers(散开)+e→分散；散开

evacuate [ɪˈvækjueɪt]

v. 疏散；撤离

记 词根记忆：e(出)+vacu(空)+ate(表动词)→空出去→撤离

搭 evacuate sb from/to... 将某人从…撤出/撤离到…

派 evacuation(n. 疏散；撤离)

relocate [ˌriːləʊˈkeɪt]

v. 重新安置；(使)搬迁，迁移

记 词根记忆：re(重新)+locate(安置)→重新安置

exclusion [ɪkˈskluːʒn]

n. 排斥；排除在外

英 a person or thing that is not included in sth

uninhabited [ˌʌnɪnˈhæbɪtɪd]

adj. 无人居住的；杳无人迹的

搭 an uninhabited island 一座杳无人迹的荒岛

negligible [ˈneɡlɪdʒəbl]

adj. 可以忽略的，微不足道的；无关紧要的

英 of very little importance or size and not worth considering

记 词根记忆：neg(不)+lig(选择)+ible(…的)→不用选择的→可以忽略的

spark [spɑːk]

v. 引起；引发，触发；冒火花 n. 火花，火星

英 to cause sth to start or develop, especially suddenly

例 The proposal will spark a storm of protest on campus. 这一提案将在校园内引起抗议热潮。

landmark [ˈlændmɑːk]

n. 陆标，地标；里程碑

记 组合词：land(土地)+mark(标志)→地标

dome [dəʊm]

n. 圆屋顶；穹顶

记 与home(家)一起记 faj5Jk+C0g08fs+9r8p2lnLqI+mBdZyP9q1di3Jmv6B4namBm2B82S7S1foUL5W3