【雙語閱讀】“泰坦尼克二號(hào)”設(shè)計(jì)圖紙公布.

　　An undated artist&aposs rendering of the proposed cruise ship Titanic II, provided by the Blue Star Line as Australian billionaire Clive Palmer unveiled plans for his dream ship during a news conference in New York February 26, 2013.

　　Australian mining entrepreneur Clive Palmer on Tuesday unveiled blueprints for Titanic II, a modern replica of the doomed ocean liner, although he stopped short of calling the vessel unsinkable.

　　The ship will largely recreate the design and decor of the fabled original, with some modifications to keep it in line with current safety rules and shipbuilding practices, and the addition of some modern comforts such as air conditioning, Palmer said at a press conference in New York.

　　The three passenger classes, however, will be prevented from mingling, as in 1912, Palmer said.

　　"I&aposm not too superstitious," Palmer said when asked whether recreating a ship best known for sinking was tempting fate.

　　White Star Line, the operator of the original ship, had said the Titanic was designed to be unsinkable. Some 1,500 people died on Titanic&aposs maiden voyage in 1912 from Southampton to New York after the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

　　Palmer, who created the company Blue Star Line last year, declined to make a similar boast.

　　"Anything will sink if you put a hole in it," Palmer said. "I think it would be very cavalier to say it."

　　Unlike the original, Titanic II will have more than enough space in its lifeboats for every person on board and will have additional escape staircases. Markku Kanerva, sales director at Deltamarin, the Finnish company designing the ship, said it would be the "safest cruise ship in the world."

　　Palmer declined to answer questions about the project&aposs cost. Although the Titanic was the world&aposs largest ship in her time, she would be smaller than many of today&aposs modern cruise ships.

　　"It&aposs not about the money," Palmer said. "I&aposve got enough money for it, I think that&aposs all that matters."

　　Forbes estimated Palmer&aposs net worth to be $795 million in 2012. He describes himself as a billionaire.

　　Titanic II will be built by Chinese state-owned CSC Jinling Shipyard, which is already building four ore carriers for Palmer&aposs mining business, he said. The contract to build Titanic II has not yet been signed, Palmer said.

　　澳大利亞礦業(yè)企業(yè)家克萊夫?帕爾默周二公布了“泰坦尼克二號(hào)”的設(shè)計(jì)藍(lán)圖，這一設(shè)計(jì)是對那艘沉沒的遠(yuǎn)洋班輪的現(xiàn)代復(fù)制版，不過他不再號(hào)稱這艘船“永不沉沒”。

　　帕爾默在紐約的一個(gè)新聞發(fā)布會(huì)上說，這艘船很大部分將重現(xiàn)傳說中老泰坦尼克號(hào)的設(shè)計(jì)和裝修風(fēng)格，在這一基礎(chǔ)上做了一些修改以符合現(xiàn)在的安全規(guī)定和造船慣例，并增加了一些現(xiàn)代化舒適設(shè)備，比如空調(diào)。

　　帕爾默說，三個(gè)不同等級艙位的船客將不能像1912年時(shí)那樣可以互相走動(dòng)。

　　當(dāng)被問及重建一艘因沉沒而聞名的船是否在挑戰(zhàn)命運(yùn)時(shí)，帕爾默說：“我沒有那么迷信?！?/p>

　　老泰坦尼克號(hào)的運(yùn)營商英國白星航運(yùn)公司說過，泰坦尼克號(hào)的設(shè)計(jì)將讓它“永不沉沒”。1912年，泰坦尼克號(hào)在從南安普敦駛往紐約的處女航中，和北大西洋的一座冰山相撞沉沒，約有1500人在這一船難中喪生。

　　去年創(chuàng)立藍(lán)星航運(yùn)公司的帕爾默不愿夸下這樣的海口。

　　帕爾默說：“任何東西如果被鉆了個(gè)洞都會(huì)下沉。我認(rèn)為說這種話也太目空一切了?！?/p>

　　和老泰坦尼克號(hào)不同，泰坦尼克二號(hào)上的救生船將有足夠空間讓船上的每個(gè)人都能乘坐，而且還將增設(shè)逃生梯。設(shè)計(jì)這一新船的芬蘭德他馬林公司的銷售總監(jiān)馬庫?卡內(nèi)瓦稱，這將是“世界上最安全的大型游輪”。

　　帕爾默拒絕回答有關(guān)該工程花費(fèi)的問題。盡管老泰坦尼克號(hào)在當(dāng)時(shí)是全世界最大的船，但是它比如今的很多現(xiàn)代豪華游輪都小。

　　帕爾默說：“這與錢無關(guān)。我有足夠的錢建造它，我想這才是最重要的。”

　　福布斯估計(jì)帕爾默2012年的凈資產(chǎn)為7.95億美元。他自稱是億萬富翁。

　　帕爾默說，泰坦尼克二號(hào)將由中國國營企業(yè)中國長江航運(yùn)集團(tuán)金陵船廠承建，該船廠已經(jīng)為帕爾默的礦業(yè)建造過四艘礦砂船。他說，建造泰坦尼克二號(hào)的合同尚未簽署。

　　Vocabulary:

　　stop short of: 決定不做某事