新西兰英语 729 SkyCity had special treatment

 　　If you listen to April 10th 2012 you will hear about the government’s plans for SkyCity casino to build a convention¹ centre for Auckland.

　　The government announced these plans nearly a year ago but the Green Party was concerned about whether it was fair to give the contract to SkyCity. Five companies put in an offer to build a convention centre. SkyCity made the best offer. However, the Green Party said that SkyCity had special treatment. The Ministers and officials spent more time talking to SkyCity, and gave them information that the other companies didn’t have.

　　The Green Party asked the Auditor-General’s office to look at this to see if each company was treated equally in the bidding process. A report last week said that officials made mistakes but the result would probably be the same. The government does not want to pay for a convention centre and all the other proposals² would need government money.

　　Now the Green Party says that the government must start again, getting offers to build a convention centre. This probably will not happen though.

　　SkyCity wants to increase the number of gaming machines, it wants more land and an annual payment³ to advertise the convention centre. Auckland people may not be happy about these conditions.

　　Vocabulary

　　?casino – place for gambling⁴

　　?convention centre – building used for conferences, exhibitions etc

　　?Auditor-General – one job is to check that public money is used fairly and there is no corruption⁵

　　?bid – offer giving the cost of plans

　　?bidding process – making an offer

　　?proposals – plans

　　?conditions – an ‘if’ statement e.g. we will give you a free convention centre but only if you allow us to do this and this.

1 convention   

n.惯例，习俗，常规，会议，大会

参考例句：

• How many delegates have checked in at the convention?大会已有多少代表报到？
• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。

2 proposals   

n.提议( proposal的名词复数 )；推荐；求婚；赞成提案

参考例句：

• The director has given her assent to the proposals. 负责人已表示同意提案。
• The police gave the proposals their full backing. 警方对这些提案给予全力支持。

3 payment   

n.付款，支付，偿还，偿还，报应

参考例句：

• I gave ten pounds in payment for the goods I bought.我买那些东西付了10英镑。
• This last payment will wipe out your debt to me.这最后一笔付款将了结你欠我的债务。

4 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。