The price of dying is going up in Rome, if a city auction of prime cemetery lots is anything to go by.
The most expensive burial ground in the city’s prized Verano cemetery is on offer for 312,629 euros — the price of a modest apartment — before tax.
Like living real estate, the plot is described as being of “classical style, in brick and slate-roofed, with decorative elements in (white) travertine rock and Cararre marble,” according to the write-up in brochures.
The tombs, one of which can hold up to 28 coffins, can be viewed via Google Earth with pictures placed on the Web site www.amaroma.it
Future inhabitants will become neighbors of such luminaries as actor Marcello Mastroianni, writer Alberto Moravia or other cinematic figures in Roberto Rossellini and Luchino Visconti.
Rome mayor Gianni Alamanno hopes to raise 2.5 million euros from the sell-off of tombs whose owners are no longer known, are empty or are threatened with collapse, and offers a 75-year lease.
The auction is due to end on July 24.(AFP)
羅馬市正在標售頂級墓園，若依拍賣標準來看，死後想安息將付出更高的代價。
這座位在羅馬市最重要的維拉諾公墓內的頂級墓園起標價三十一萬兩千六百二十九歐元，相當於一戶小公寓未稅前的價格。
就如同活人的房地產一般，拍賣型錄中形容這座墓園「屬經典風格，磚砌主體配上板岩材質屋頂，還飾有（白色）石灰岩和卡拉瑞大理石」。
其中一個墓區可容納多達二十八具棺木。透過「Google地球」可觀看張貼在www.amaroma.it網站上的各墓區照片。
未來的遷入者將可與影星馬塞羅•馬斯托依安尼、作家艾伯托•莫拉維亞，及電影界聞人羅伯特•羅塞里尼、盧契諾•維斯康提等名人為鄰。
羅馬市長賈尼•阿萊曼諾希望藉由低價出售這些無主、空置或瀕臨倒塌的墓穴，籌募兩百五十萬歐元；租賃期限為七十五年。
拍賣活動至七月二十四日截止。
（法新社�翻譯：林倩如）
A: Hey, didn’t you go to the opening of the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang last week? B: Yeah, there are about 300 shops, including the first overseas branch of Japan’s Mahou Dokoro — a famous Harry Potter-themed store. A: Wow, I’ve always wanted to get a magic wand. B: There are also a bunch of great restaurants, such as Smart Fish hotpot restaurant. A: I wish I had Harry Potter’s “apparition” and “disapparition” magic, so I could teleport to the mall right now. A: 你上週不是有去LaLaport南港的盛大開幕嗎？有什麼特別的？ B: 那裡有多達300家專櫃，包括魔法之地的海外首店——它可是日本知名的《哈利波特》專賣店。 A: 哇我一直想買根魔杖。 B: 另外還有各式各樣的美食，像是林聰明沙鍋魚頭。 A: 真希望我也有哈利波特的「現影術／消影術」魔法，能瞬間移動到商場去！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
When it comes to movies, some people delight in watching spine-chilling horror films. Surprisingly, apart from containing a few scares, horror movies may also offer an unexpected __1__. According to a study, watching 90 minutes of a scary movie can burn an average of 113 calories, which is roughly __2__ to taking a 30-minute walk. Researchers from the University of Westminster carried out an experiment in which they __3__ participants’ oxygen intake, carbon dioxide output, and heart rates while they were watching horror movies without any distractions. The results revealed that physiological responses to fear play a crucial role
Dos & Don’ts — 想想看，這句話英語該怎麼說？ 1. 你覺得這部電影怎樣？ ˇ What do you think of the movie? χ How do you like the movie? χ How do you think of the movie? 註︰What do you think of ＝ What is your opinion of。 think 的受詞是 what，不能用 how。 2. 你認為哪一個歌星唱得最好？ ˇ Which singer do you think is the best? χ Do you think which singer is the best? 註︰英語中 which singer 似乎是 do you think 的受詞，實則 do you think 是插入語，其他例子如下： 你以為他喜歡誰？ Who do you think he likes? 你以為我住在哪裏？ Where do you think I live? 你想我昨天在公園裏碰到了誰？ Whom/Who do you think I met in the park yesterday? 3. 他不論到什麼地方，總是帶著一把雨傘。 ˇ No matter where he goes, he
More detailed findings showed that films with sudden, unexpected moments, called jump scares, are particularly __7__ in getting the heart racing. Interestingly, The Shining doesn’t rely on traditional jump scares to keep viewers on edge. Instead, the movie’s slow-building tension __8__ them psychologically. The dread that builds throughout the film leads to a __9__ state of alertness, which increases adrenaline production and results in a high level of calorie burn. While this research gives an interesting look at horror films as a calorie-burning activity, they are not a __10__ for regular physical exercise. Experts also warn that those with
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