英语听力精选进阶版 6174（在线收听）

Yet Another Millionaire 又是一个百万富翁

The latest winners of the UK National Lottery Euromillions jackpot are Joan and Brian Caswell.

The retired and now very wealthy couple from Bolton claim they won’t let the ￡25 million (around 275 million yuan) win change them. However, they have said they will be buying a flash car and taking an extravagant holiday to Rio.

The Caswells are the latest in a long line of UK lottery winners. Over ￡32 billion (around 350 billion yuan) has been paid out to winners since the first UK national lottery draw in 1994.

With such huge sums of money at stake it is perhaps no surprise that something like 70 percent of UK adults play the lottery on a regular basis. They can even choose to play daily as the company which runs the UK National Lottery, Camelot, operates multiple games.

Of course, there is a more serious side to the lottery. The UK government collects around 12 percent tax on lottery revenues and ensures a further slice of the money goes to good causes. These include projects in health, education, the environment, the arts, sport and national heritage.

With all these positive applications for lottery revenue, it might be hard to imagine a downside to the lottery. But there are some very vocal opponents to the national game. Some feel that any form of gambling is wrong whilst others choose to criticise the way the lottery revenue is spent.

Another area of concern is over the level of support and advice given to new lottery winners. Just how are people meant to manage the huge sums of money that the lottery jackpots now offer?

Well, with over 2,100 newly-created millionaires, some manage better than others. For every story of successful investment and charitable giving there is a more sensational story of frivolous spending.

We shouldn’t forget the story of John McGuinness, who invested a large part of his ￡10 million (around 110 million yuan) win in a fledgling football team and who is now facing bankruptcy and financial ruin.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

lottery 六合彩

jackpot 头奖

wealthy 富有的

flash 名贵的

extravagant 奢侈的

the latest in a long line of 一连串（中奖者）中最近的一个

draw 抽奖

at stake 利害攸关

something like 大约/差不多有

revenues 收入

slice （整体中分出的）一块

good causes 慈善事业

national heritage 国家遗产

downside 负面/不利的一面

vocal opponents 敢于发表言论的反对者

millionaires 百万富翁

charitable giving 慈善的施与

frivolous 肤浅的

fledgling 成熟的/羽毛丰满的

bankruptcy 破产