每日英語 #072: Unusual Hotel Promotions

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Unusual Hotel Promotions

During an “economic downturn” (poor economic times), people tend to travel less. This is especially a problem when there is a “perfect storm” (unique combination of conditions that causes something to happen) of three conditions: a bad economy, an increased in the number of hotels opening, and a “dramatic cut” (very large reduction) in the amount of money companies are willing to spend on travel.

在“經濟衰退”（經濟不景氣）期間，人們傾向於減少旅行。當有三種條件的“完美風暴”（導致某事發生的獨特組合）出現時，這尤其成為一個問題：經濟不景氣、酒店開業數量增加，以及公司在旅行上花費的資金“大幅削減”（非常大的減少）。

That’s what happened during the late 2000’s. Some hotels “did not take this lying down” (did not allow without action or without fighting back). Hotels have always offered special “promotions” (offers) during the slow seasons, but some hotels got even more creative during these difficult financial times.

這正是2000年代末發生的情況。一些酒店“沒有坐以待斃”（沒有採取行動或不做反擊就接受）。酒店在淡季一直提供特別的“促銷”（優惠），但在這些艱難的財務時期，一些酒店變得更加有創意。

In 2009, for example, one hotel came up with an interesting offer. Have you always wanted a “tattoo” (drawing or words put on your body with permanent ink)? If you stayed at one hotel near the beach in Los Angeles, you would have received a $100 “voucher” (credit; coupon) toward getting one. You would have even received a bottle of “tequila” (type of liquor) to “numb” (help you not feel as much of) the pain.

例如，在2009年，一家酒店提出了一個有趣的優惠。你是否一直想要一個“紋身”（用永久性墨水在身體上畫圖或寫字）？如果你住在洛杉磯海灘附近的一家酒店，你會得到100美元的“代金券”（信用；優惠券）用來做紋身。你甚至會得到一瓶“龍舌蘭酒”（一種酒）來“麻醉”（幫助你減少感覺到）疼痛。

If you prefer a “fancier” (nicer) hotel, this promotion might have been for you. If you had stayed at one of the most expensive hotels in Beverly Hills, California, you would have received the use of a Mercedes, Porsche, or BMW to drive while you were there. If you prefer another type of vehicle, a hotel in San Diego, California, with a rock-and-roll “theme” (idea around which everything is based) would have given you the use of a Harley Davidson motorcycle, a very well known and respected brand of motorcycles in the U.S.

如果你更喜歡“更豪華”（更好）的酒店，這個促銷可能適合你。如果你住在加州比佛利山莊最昂貴的酒店之一，你將獲得使用梅賽德斯、保時捷或BMW的權利。在加州聖地亞哥的一家具有搖滾“主題”（一切都基於的想法）的酒店，會給你使用哈雷戴維森摩托車的權利，這是在美國非常著名和受尊敬的摩托車品牌。

These are just a few of the special promotions hotels have offered in the past. More “typically” (commonly; likely), hotels offered a free night’s stay if you pay for two, three, or four nights.

這只是過去酒店提供的一些特別促銷活動。“通常”（通常；可能）酒店會提供如果你住兩晚、三晚或四晚就免費住一晚。

重點單字

• Economic downturn 經濟衰退 /ˌiːkəˈnɑːmɪk ˈdaʊntɜrn/
• Perfect storm 完美風暴 /ˈpɜrfɪkt stɔrm/
• Dramatic cut 大幅削減 /drəˈmætɪk kʌt/
• Did not take this lying down 沒有坐以待斃 /dɪd nɑt teɪk ðɪs ˈlaɪɪŋ daʊn/
• Promotions 促銷 /prəˈmoʊʃənz/
• Tattoo 紋身 /tæˈtu/
• Voucher 代金券 /ˈvaʊtʃər/
• Tequila 龍舌蘭酒 /təˈkiːlə/
• Numb 麻醉 /nʌm/
• Fancier 更豪華的 /ˈfænsɪər/
• Theme 主題 /θiːm/
• Typically 通常 /ˈtɪpɪkli/