文本选自:The Guardian(卫报)
作者:Justin McCurry
原文标题:‘Sushi terrorism’ sees Japan’s conveyor belt restaurants grind to a halt
原文发布时间:7 Mar. 2023
'Sushi terrorism' sees Japan's conveyor belt restaurants grind to a halt
The carefree days of hi-tech sushi dining – in which customers take plates directly from a conveyor belt – appear to be over, as restaurant chains scramble in response to a spate of hygiene incidents caused by badly behaved clientele. In the weeks since a viral video appeared showing a teenager licking the open top of a communal soy sauce bottle and rubbing saliva on passing food at a kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant, chains have scrambled to restore their reputation for cleanliness – even if it means removing their main attraction.
Choshimaru, which operates restaurants in the greater Tokyo area, recently said its conveyor belts would grind to a halt, forcing staff to deliver orders by hand, after a video showed a diner placing a cigarette butt in a container of pickled ginger. In response, staff at the chain started taking condiments and utensils to tables every time a new group of diners took their seats.
But then Choshimaru went a step further and announced that, for the time being, conveyor belts at all 63 of its restaurants would be switched off, with customers forced to wait for staff to bring their orders directly to the table. While the move has removed the fun element, the firm reasoned that the absence of dozens of plates making their way through the restaurant on a conveyor belt would make it practically impossible for pranksters to interfere with other customers' orders.
“寿司恐怖主义”让日本的回转餐厅陷入停滞
精听党背景导读
“寿司恐怖主义”正驱使日本回转寿司餐厅做出改变。据《日本时报》8日报道,在东京及周边地区拥有数十家店铺的日本回转寿司连锁店“铫子丸”日前宣布,将取消传统的顾客在缓慢回转带上挑选寿司的方式,并引入一种新的用餐系统——顾客通过触摸液晶屏来选定寿司,再由店员将寿司直接送到顾客座位上。“铫子丸”在其公司官网上表示:“全体员工将全心全意服务,让顾客安心享用美食。”
文本选自:The Guardian(卫报)作者:Justin McCurry原文标题:‘Sushi terrorism’ sees Japan’s conveyor belt restaurants grind to a halt原文发布时间:7 Mar. 2023关键词:回转寿司 卫生 停滞
精听党带着问题听
1. “系统死机”用英语可以怎么表达?2. 铫子丸预计将暂时关闭旗下多少家门店的传送带自助模式?3. 如何理解第三段中的“for the time being”?
精听党选段赏析
标题解读
‘Sushi terrorism’ sees Japan’s conveyor belt restaurants grind to a halt
“寿司恐怖主义”让日本的回转餐厅陷入停滞
terrorism n. 恐怖主义;恐怖行动;
conveyor n. 输送机,传送机;传送带;运送者,传播者;1. conveyor belt 传送带;2. conveyor belt restaurant 回转餐厅;
grind vi. 磨碎,碾碎;使锋利;用力挤压;摩擦(发出刺耳声);(机器或车辆伴有噪音地)缓慢运转,费力移动;1. to grind sth. to dust 把某物碾成粉末;2. to grind the blade to a sharp edge 把刀磨的很锋利;3. to grind to a halt 渐渐停止;
This city would grind to a halt. 城市将会拥堵不堪。
halt n. 停止,中止;1. system halt 系统停机;系统中止,死机;2. come to a halt 停止;停住;停下来;
段一
The carefree days of hi-tech sushi dining – in which customers take plates directly from a conveyor belt – appear to be over, as restaurant chains scramble in response to a spate of hygiene incidents caused by badly behaved clientele. In the weeks since a viral video appeared showing a teenager licking the open top of a communal soy sauce bottle and rubbing saliva on passing food at a kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant, chains have scrambled to restore their reputation for cleanliness – even if it means removing their main attraction.
carefree adj. 无忧无虑的,无牵挂的;不负责任的;
hi-tech adj. 高科技的;高技术风格的;
appear to be 好像是;仿佛;
scramble vi.(迅速而吃力地)爬,攀登;不规则地生长;匆忙地移动;仓促完成(困难的事);
in response to 响应;回答;对…作出反应;
spate n. 一连串(不愉快的事物);(河水)猛涨;洪水;大雨;1. a spate of 一连串的;大量的;许多的;
hygiene n. 卫生;卫生学,保健学;
badly behaved 不守规矩的;表现不好的;行为恶劣的;
clientele n. 顾客群,客户群;
viral adj. 病毒性的,病毒引起的;(与)利用病毒式营销手段(有关)的;1. make something go viral 让一件事情像病毒一样迅速传播;
lick vt. 舔,舔吃;成功地处理(难题或困境);
communal adj. 公共的;群体的,团体的;1. communal property 公有产业;公有财产;
The communal facilities they shared are in a shocking state. 他们的公用设施状况极其糟糕。
rub vt. 擦,磨擦;揉擦,按摩(尤指疼痛部位);擦痛,磨损;涂,抹;
saliva n. 唾液,涎;
passing adj. 经过的;
kaitenzushi 回转寿司;
参考译文
在采用先进技术的寿司餐厅,顾客直接从传送带上获取食物的悠闲日子似乎要到头了,因为各大餐饮连锁为应对顾客恶劣行为所致的一系列卫生问题纷纷采取行动。一段被疯传的视频显示,一少年在回转寿司餐厅舔公用酱油瓶口,并在经他面前的食物上抹口水,几周以来,各连锁店都在努力挽回他们注重卫生的口碑,即便这意味着要取消他们的主要卖点。
段二
Choshimaru, which operates restaurants in the greater Tokyo area, recently said its conveyor belts would grind to a halt, forcing staff to deliver orders by hand, after a video showed a diner placing a cigarette butt in a container of pickled ginger. In response, staff at the chain started taking condiments and utensils to tables every time a new group of diners took their seats.
Choshimaru 铫子丸;
butt n. 烟蒂,烟头;1. cigarette butt 烟蒂;
pickled adj. 腌制的;盐渍的;烂醉如泥的;
ginger n. 生姜;姜(产于东南亚,外表似竹);
condiment n. 调味品;佐料;
utensil n.(尤指厨房或家用的)器具,用具;
参考译文
门店集中在关东地区的铫子丸(Choshimaru)近期表示,在一段视频中看到一名食客将烟头放入盛放酸姜的容器里,于是宣布将暂停传送带自助模式,其员工不得不手动送餐。为此,每当有新客人入座时,店员才会把调味品和餐具送到餐桌上。
段
But then Choshimaru went a step further and announced that, for the time being, conveyor belts at all 63 of its restaurants would be switched off, with customers forced to wait for staff to bring their orders directly to the table. While the move has removed the fun element, the firm reasoned that the absence of dozens of plates making their way through the restaurant on a conveyor belt would make it practically impossible for pranksters to interfere with other customers’ orders.
go a step further 进一步;
for the time being 暂时;
reason vt. 推理,逻辑思考;推论出,推断出;
absence n. 缺席,缺勤,不在;缺乏,没有;
make one's way through 穿过;走过;成功穿过;
practically adv. 几乎,差不多;实事求是地,实际地;
prankster n. 爱开玩笑的人;顽皮的人;恶作剧的人;
interfere with 妨碍;打扰;干涉;干扰;
参考译文
然而铫子丸进一步宣布,将暂时关闭旗下所有63家门店的传送带自助模式,顾客需要等工作人员将他们点的食物直接送到餐桌上。虽然这一举措少了一些乐趣,但铫子丸推断,没有了绕餐厅传送带上的几十盘食物,恶作剧者几乎完全不可能接触到其他顾客点的餐食。
精听党每日单词
terrorism
/ˈterərɪzəm/ n. 恐怖主义;恐怖行动;
conveyor
/kənˈveɪər/ n. 输送机,传送机;传送带;运送者,传播者;
grind
/ɡraɪnd/ vi. 磨碎,碾碎;使锋利;用力挤压;摩擦(发出刺耳声);(机器或车辆伴有噪音地)缓慢运转,费力移动;
halt
/hɔːlt/ n. 停止,中止;
carefree
/ˈkerfriː/ adj. 无忧无虑的,无牵挂的;不负责任的;
hi-tech
/ˌhaɪ ˈtek/ adj. 高科技的;高技术风格的;
appear to be
好像是;仿佛;
scramble
/ˈskræmb(ə)l/ vi.(迅速而吃力地)爬,攀登;不规则地生长;匆忙地移动;仓促完成(困难的事);
in response to
响应;回答;对…作出反应;
spate
/speɪt/ n. 一连串(不愉快的事物);(河水)猛涨;洪水;大雨;
hygiene
/ˈhaɪdʒiːn/ n. 卫生;卫生学,保健学;
badly behaved
不守规矩的;表现不好的;行为恶劣的;
clientele
/ˌklaɪənˈtel/ n. 顾客群,客户群;
viral
/ˈvaɪrəl/ adj. 病毒性的,病毒引起的;(与)利用病毒式营销手段(有关)的;
lick
/lɪk/ vt. 舔,舔吃;成功地处理(难题或困境);
communal
/kəˈmjuːn(ə)l/ adj. 公共的;群体的,团体的;
rub
/rʌb/ vt. 擦,磨擦;揉擦,按摩(尤指疼痛部位);擦痛,磨损;涂,抹;
saliva
/səˈlaɪvə/ n. 唾液,涎;
passing
/ˈpæsɪŋ/ adj. 经过的;
kaitenzushi
回转寿司;
Choshimaru
铫子丸;
butt
/bʌt/ n. 烟蒂,烟头;
pickled
/ˈpɪkld/ adj. 腌制的;盐渍的;烂醉如泥的;
ginger
/ˈdʒɪndʒər/ n. 生姜;姜(产于东南亚,外表似竹);
condiment
/ˈkɑːndɪmənt/ n. 调味品;佐料;
utensil
/juːˈtens(ə)l/ n.(尤指厨房或家用的)器具,用具;
go a step further
进一步;
for the time being
暂时;
reason
/ˈriːz(ə)n/ vt. 推理,逻辑思考;推论出,推断出;
absence
/ˈæbsəns/ n. 缺席,缺勤,不在;缺乏,没有;
make one's way through
穿过;走过;成功穿过;
practically
/ˈpræktɪkli/ adv. 几乎,差不多;实事求是地,实际地;
prankster
/ˈpræŋkstər/ n. 爱开玩笑的人;顽皮的人;恶作剧的人;
interfere with
妨碍;打扰;干涉;干扰;
精听党文化拓展
稍早前,日本规模最大的回转寿司连锁店之一“寿司郎”店内,一名少年嬉皮笑脸地将自己舔过的酱油瓶和杯子放回原处,用沾了口水的手指戳回转带上的寿司,并拍成视频上传社交媒体。此事持续发酵,被称为“寿司恐怖主义”事件。
为应对“寿司恐怖主义”,日本不同的回转寿司连锁店“各显神通”。《读卖新闻》7日报道称,日本回转寿司连锁店“藏寿司”已经引入人工智能摄像头,通过新的监测系统及时监控店内的可疑行为。“河童寿司”选择加强摄像监控和员工巡逻,“浜寿司”则研究在回转寿司的回转带上安装摄像头和传感器。
《产经新闻》报道称,人工智能摄像头的安装其实最初是为了给商家和顾客行方便,摄像头拍摄顾客拿起寿司的数量,随后自动进行数量统计,减轻了商家结账的人力负担,也减少了顾客的排队时间。但这种摄像头现在已经被改良用于监控顾客行为了。回转寿司评论家米川伸生表示:“回转寿司是建立在商家与客人信赖关系基础上的行业,如果不采取根本性的措施防止恶作剧行为,客流量可能会流失。”
《千叶新闻》报道称,对于一些寿司店取消“回转带挑选寿司”的决定,有顾客惋惜地表示:“吃回转寿司最开心的就是从回转带上拿循环传送的寿司。”
精听党每日美句
The car will find its way round the hill when it gets there.
车到山前必有路。