迪士尼的八大秘密(下)－Holly老師的英語新天地

繼續邊學英文,邊追追追樂園秘密!

你知道Disneyland是一座城市嗎?

你知道樂園用「什麼顏色」隱藏不屬於歡樂世界之物嗎?

你知道雲霄飛車和籃球的共通點嗎?

你知道在這親子樂園裡，何處可盡情飲酒嗎?

哩來哩來！看看媒體巨擘CNN繼續揭發這奇幻樂園的秘密們 <secrets>

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/07/01/ten.secrets.disney.mf/

學英文兼長知識，成功之路Go Go Go! Part 2！開拍 ~

<老師將文章貼上，並標記實用單字片語。>

試著不翻字典，用有限中文線索了解各點大意吧！Come on...You can do it ~

5. Disney World is its own city 迪士尼樂園也是座城市

Four years after opening Disneyland's doors in 1955, Walt Disney became convinced that it was time to expand his franchise. After scouting several locations, he decided on a plot of land in Orlando, Florida. But there was a major obstacle standing in his way: the bureaucracies of two local governments. To skirt the issue, Disney petitioned the Florida State legislature to let the company govern its own land, essentially making Disney World a separate city.

The request wasn't as novel as it may seem, however. Governments often create special districts for private companies because the arrangement is mutually beneficial.

The company wins by receiving more power over things such as building codes and tax-free bonds, while the local government saves money on providing infrastructure. In the end, the state gets an economy-boosting business that it paid little to help build.

So, that's what Florida did. On May 12, 1967, the Reedy Creek Improvement District was born. Governed by a board of supervisors, the agency has powers typically reserved for city and county governments.

It has the authority to open schools, create its own criminal justice system, and open a nuclear power plant -- although it hasn't chosen to do any of those things yet. The company also holds all of the seats on the board, and it can always count on its residents' support. After all, they're all Disney employees.

單字片語：

to convince (v.) = to persuade 說服
franchise (n.) 經營權/加盟權
obstacle (n.) 阻礙
to stand in one’s way 妨礙某人 [直翻：站在某人路徑上]
bureaucracy (n.) 官僚
novel (在此是a.) = new
mutually beneficial 彼此互利
infrastructure (n.) 設施
authority (n.) = power 權力單位
to count on + n. = to rely on + n. = to depend on + n. 仰賴n.

6. They paint the town green 整個城鎮是綠色的

If you look beyond the fantasy of the Magic Kingdom, Disney hopes you won't see anything at all. The less-than-magical parts of the park, such as fences, garbage bins, and administrative buildings, are all coated in a color known as "Go Away Green" -- a shade that's meant to help things blend in with the landscaping.

According to Disney officials, there's no set formula for the color, but that hasn't stopped die-hard fans from trying to recreate it.

One enthusiast collected paint chips from the park and took them to The Home Depot, where he supposedly found an exact match -- useful knowledge if you're looking to fade into the background at Disneyland.

單字片語：

to look beyond… 看超過某範圍
fantasy (n.) 幻想
to be coated in + color 漆上某color
to blend in 融入
die-hard fans 死忠粉絲 <超實用用法!>
match (n.) 媒合

7. You can shoot hoops inside a mountain 你在山裡可以投籃

Disneyland's Matterhorn is best known for its bobsled-like roller coaster that twists down the giant peak. But few people outside the park know that deep inside the 147-ft. mountain lurks a basketball court. How did Disneyland become a place where your hoop dreams could come true?

After construction of the Matterhorn was completed in 1959, the roller coaster occupied the bottom two-thirds of the mountain, while the top third remained empty. What to do with the extra space?

Disney employees voted to put in a basketball court. Because a regulation court wouldn't fit inside the mountaintop (sometimes magic can't trump physics), only one goal was installed.

As for the story about the court being installed to skirt building ordinances, that's just an urban legend.

單字片語：

roller coaster (n.) 雲霄飛車
basketball court (n.) 籃球場
the bottom two-thirds 下方的三分之二部分 [注意：thirds是複數]
the top third 上方的三分之一 [注意：third是單數]
to vote 投票 = to cast a ballot
to trump = to do better than someone or something else
physics (n.) 物理
an urban legend 城市傳說

8. There's a speakeasy 裡面有酒吧

Hidden behind a dull green door in Disneyland's New Orleans Square is one of the park's most exclusive and mysterious attractions: a VIP lounge called Club 33.

Walt Disney built the club as a secret hideaway for dignitaries and celebrities, and he even went to New Orleans to personally pick out the knickknacks for the interior. During the 44 years that Club 33 has been operational, it's served the likes of Johnny Depp, Elton John, and scads of executives from companies such as Boeing, Chevron, and AT&T.

But if you're hoping to join, you'll have to be patient. It takes about 10 years to get off the waiting list, after which you'll have to fork over $10,000 in initiation fees and another $3,500 each year that you're a member.

But it's worth it; Club 33 is the only place at Disneyland where you can ditch the kids for a cocktail.

單字片語：