VOA慢速英语2018 四分之一的美国人没有去过美国的名胜（在线收听）

1 in 4 Americans Have Not Visited Famous US Places

A new study suggests many Americans have not visited the most popular places of interest around the country or even in their hometown.

一项新的调查表明，很多美国人没有去过美国国内甚至自己家乡最受欢迎的地方。

The study found that 25 percent of Americans have yet to visit "iconic landmarks" in their own cities. Twenty-three percent said they had not visited any of the nation's natural wonders, famous buildings or historic battlefields.

该调查发现，25%的美国人尚未去过所在城市的“标志性地标”。23%的美国人称他们没去过美国任何自然奇观、著名建筑或历史性战场遗址。

The study was a project of the research service OnePoll and Zipcar, a car-sharing company.

该调查是OnePoll研究机构以及Zipcar共享汽车公司所进行的一个项目。

Researchers questioned 2,000 Americans. Only 33 percent of them said they had been to Niagara Falls and just 28 percent had been to Arizona’s Grand Canyon. The study showed that only 30 percent had been to New York’s Empire State Building. Only 22 percent had ever visited the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

调查人员调查了2千名美国人。其中只有33%的人称他们去过尼亚加拉大瀑布，并且只有28%的人去过亚利桑那州大峡谷。该调查表明，只有30%的人去过纽约帝国大厦，只有22%的人曾经参观过华盛顿特区的国家广场。

Many Americans say they would like to travel more. More than half of those questioned said they would like to get out more. Forty-nine percent reported being "creatures of habit." By that, they mean they generally do the same things in the same way. That would leave little time to visit local or national landmarks.

很多美国人表示他们想要更多地旅行。其中一半以上接受调查者称他们希望更多地出去闯荡。49%的人报告称，他们是“习性动物，”意思是他们通常以相同的方式做相同的事情，这会导致少有时间去参观本地或全国性的地标。

The researchers found that the main reasons keeping Americans from exploring their cities or the country were money, lack of time and a lack of good transportation.

调查人员发现，阻碍美国人探索他们的城市或国家的主要原因是没钱、没时间以及交通不便。

On social media, one Twitter user reacting to the study named a few reasons for not visiting famous places. The writer noted that “most of us don’t get paid days off, get punished for taking a day off, or simply can't afford to visit anything or go anywhere anymore."

在社交媒体网站上，一位推特用户回应了这项调查，列举了一些不去名胜的原因。这位用户提到，“我们大多数人没有带薪假期，休假会挨罚，或者根本就无力承担任何多出来的旅游开支。”

The Twitter user added, "Childcare costs more than College, College Loans costs more than a mortgage payment, and jobs don't even pay for one of those things.”

这位推特用户补充说：“托儿费比大学学费还贵，大学生助学贷款比房屋按揭还贵，而就业甚至承担不起任何一笔这样的开支。”

The study found that three of the places Americans wanted to visit were Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park and the Statue of Liberty.

该调查发现，美国人最想参观的三个地方分别是大峡谷国家公园、黄石国家公园以及自由女神像。

The researchers also found that, on average, Americans go to a new coffee shop every five months, and a new restaurant every four months. They also spent time at a lake or near the ocean once every six months, and go to a park every five months.

调查人员还发现，平均而言，美国人每五个月去一家新咖啡店，每4个月去一家新餐馆。他们还每半年去一次湖边或附近的海边度假，每5个月去一次公园。

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in this Story

iconic – adj. a widely known symbol

landmark – n. a structure of historical or other importance or other

mortgage – n. a legal agreement in which a person borrows money to buy property such as a house and pays back the money over a period of years

afford – v. to be able to pay for something

habit – n. custom or behavior; a way of doing things