2018-01-06
◎周虹汶
Sweden’s houses should be able to cope when Santa and his sleigh land on their snowy roofs this Christmas – as long as he doesn’t try to deliver too many presents in one go.
當耶誕老人和他的雪橇今年耶誕節落到白雪皚皚的屋頂上，瑞典房屋應該能夠應付——只要他別試圖一口氣投遞太多禮物。
The portly Father Christmas probably weighs about 150 kg and his reindeer and sleigh a tonne, the Swedish construction company NCC calculated, allowing another 50 kg for gifts.
瑞典建築公司NCC計算，這個胖胖的耶誕老人可能重約150公斤，而他的馴鹿及雪橇重1公噸，還有50公斤餘裕給禮物。
Swedish building requirements would easily handle that weight, plus 50 percent extra pressure from the force of the landing on the roof, and half a meter of snow, construction designer Thomas Lecher said.
建築設計師湯瑪士．雷契說，瑞典的建築規定可以輕鬆應付這等重量，加上降落屋頂力量產生的額外50%壓力，還有半公尺積雪。
However, presents for all the world’s 2 billion children, as well as a sack big enough to hold them, would weigh at least 200,000 tonnes if delivered on a single run.
不過，給全球20億小朋友的禮物，以及一只大到夠裝它們的麻布袋，會重達至少20萬公噸，如果一趟就要送達的話。
“Under that sort of pressure, a Swedish house would be about as strong as paper,” Lecher said. “But it is clear as day that he has access to some sort of Christmas magic.” （Reuters）
雷契說，「在這種壓力下，瑞典房屋的強度大概會像紙張一樣。」「不過，非常清楚地，他可以施展某些耶誕魔法。」（路透）
新聞辭典
in one go：片語，指一鼓作氣。例句：Do we have to complete all the tests in one go?（我們必須一次做完所有測驗嗎？）
（as）clear as day：形容詞，指顯而易見的、清楚好懂的。例句：The signs are as clear as day.（這些標誌清楚易懂。）
have access to：片語，指使用、接近、可利用。例句：He has access to some very powerful people.（他能直通一些非常有力的人士。）
2017年耶誕節當天，耶誕老人現身於一家佈滿燈飾的馬來西亞購物商場分發禮物。（美聯社）
