环球英语 — 202：Advertising Ban

　　Voice 1
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight¹. I’m Ryan Geertsma.
Voice 2
And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
A man walks down the street. He sees a large bus. He sees a large sign on it. It says, “THE COKE SIDE OF LIFE!” He continues walking. He sees a large sign on the side of the road, a hoarding², a billboard³. It seems to shout at him, “Experience the Luxury⁴: Imperial⁵ Leather.” He sees a long building. Small, square posters cover it. They all read, “Just Do It! Just Do It! Just Do It ...” This is the normal experience of many people walking through a city.
Voice 2
You have probably seen sayings like this in a city near you – on buildings, on public transport, on outdoor billboard signs. Businesses use these advertisements to sell things. They hope that the advertisements will make people want their products. Sometimes, it seems like we see these advertisements everywhere. Advertisements fill cities. They cover everything, even clothes! But can you imagine if they disappeared? What would your community look like?
Voice 1
The people of Sao Paulo Brazil, are able to answer this question. In April 2007, the government of Sao Paulo made outdoor advertisements illegal⁶. And people have removed most of them. Today, the big street signs, billboards⁸, are all gone. So are the business signs and small posters. And the buses and taxis are also free of advertising⁹.
Voice 2
So why did Sao Paulo decide to remove all outside advertising? Today’s Spotlight is on visual¹⁰ pollution and Sao Paulo’s advertising ban.
Voice 1
Until April 2007, Sao Paulo was a normal looking city. Advertisements were everywhere. Some were legal⁷. That is, the government had approved their placement and size. But many more were illegal. People were putting up too many illegal advertisements. The police could not control them all. For example, people were selling the spaces in front of their houses for billboards! This troubled neighbourhood communities. It took away green spaces. And it covered beautiful old buildings. The advertisements were covering the city’s special character.
Voice 2
In most cities, the mayor¹¹ is the most important city leader. The mayor of Sao Paulo is Gilberto Kassab. He had strong feelings about the illegal advertising. He called the signs, “visual pollution”. When most people think of pollution, they think of something that pollutes, or damages, the air, water or soil. But visual pollution is something that damages our visual environment – everything that we can see. The mayor believed that the advertisements polluted¹² the appearance¹³ of the city. Because of the advertisements, the city looked bad. The mayor wanted to create a more visually¹⁴ beautiful and peaceful city.
Voice 1
So in September 2006, Mayor Kassab proposed¹⁵ a “Clean City” law. Under this law, businesses would have to remove ALL outside advertisements. The signs outside of businesses would have to be small. And businesses would have to remove all advertising from their windows. This way, the city could start again. The city government agreed to the proposed law. Sao Paulo would become a “Clean City”.
One city leader, Roberto Tripoli, said,
Voice 3
“We are aiming for a complete change of culture. Yes some people are going to pay a price. But things were out of control. The citizens have made it clear that they want this.”
Voice 2
Many businesses were very unhappy about this law. They said that the government was denying¹⁶ their right to communicate to the public. But people supporting the law said that there were many other ways businesses could still communicate with people. They could still use advertisements in newspapers and magazines, and on radio and television. The city government also says that, in the future, it may also permit¹⁷ some outdoor advertising – but only in special advertising areas.
Voice 1
And others believe that the city will look worse without the advertising. Another city leader, Dalton Silvano, voted against the Clean City law. He used to work in the advertising industry. He said,
Voice 3
“I think this city is going to become a sadder, less interesting place. Advertising is an art form. And, when you are in your car or walking alone, it is a form of entertainment People enjoy looking at it.”
Voice 2
But today, most Sao Paulo citizens are happy that the advertising is gone.
In the news magazine, Vega, Roberto Pompeu wrote about the law:
Voice 3
“This is an unusual victory¹⁸ of the public interest over private. It is a victory of order over disorder¹⁹, beauty over ugliness, and of cleanliness over waste. For once, all that usually succeeds in Brazil has lost.”
Voice 1
Many people in Sao Paulo say that the city is more beautiful now. But it has been a big change. Vinicius Galvao is a writer for the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo. He said that he gets lost in the city now. He does not always recognize the buildings!
Voice 3
“It is strange, because you get lost. My starting point was a big Panasonic billboard. I found my way by seeing that sign. But now my starting point is a beautiful building. The Panasonic billboard used to cover it. The city has a new language now, a new character.”
Voice 2
Some discoveries are wonderful, like Vinicius’ beuatiful building. But Sao Paulo citizens have also made some sad discoveries. For example, billboards covered some very poor communities. When the billboards were gone, people could see the bad conditions there.
Voice 1
And in other parts of the city, the Clean City law has uncovered²⁰ bad working conditions. Some businesses use illegal immigrants²¹. And they treat these workers very badly. They force them to work long hours, for very little pay. Before the Clean City law, businesses could cover their windows with advertisements. Nobody could see the bad treatment. But today, the windows must be uncovered. And people can see the workers!
Voice 2
Hopefully, these discoveries will lead to better conditions for all people in Sao Paulo. Augusto Moyo is a leader in an advertising company in Sao Paulo. He told Business Week magazine,
Voice 3
“As a citizen, I think that future generations will thank the current²² city government for the ban. There is still a lot to do in terms of pollution – air pollution, river pollution, street pollution and so on. Sao Paulo is still one of the most polluted cities in the world. But I believe this law is the first step for a better future.”
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 hoarding   

n.贮藏；积蓄；临时围墙；囤积v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• After the war, they were shot for hoarding. 战后他们因囤积而被枪决。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Actually he had two unused ones which he was hoarding up. 其实他还藏了两片没有用呢。 来自英汉文学

3 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

4 luxury   

n.难得享受到的愉悦；奢侈，奢华的生活

参考例句：

• He invited me to his suite. The luxury takes your breath away.他请我到他的套房里去，那豪华的气派真会令你吃惊。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods.政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。

5 imperial   

adj.帝王的，至尊的；n.特等品

参考例句：

• They made an objection to the imperial system with resolution.他们坚决反对帝制。
• The Prince Imperial passed away last night.皇太子昨晚去世了。

6 illegal   

adj.不合法的，非法的，犯法的

参考例句：

• I don't want to get mixed up with any illegal organization.我不想与任何非法组织有牵连。
• It's illegal for people under 17 to drive a car in Britain.在英国，不满17岁的人驾驶车辆是违法的。

7 legal   

adj.法律的，依照法律的，合法的，法定的，正当的

参考例句：

• He is my legal adviser.他是我的法律顾问。
• This is partly a political and partly a legal question.这个问题部分是政治问题，部分是法律问题。

8 billboards   

n.广告牌( billboard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Large billboards have disfigured the scenery. 大型告示板已破坏了景色。 来自辞典例句
• Then, put the logo in magazines and on billboards without telling anyone what it means. 接着我们把这个商标刊在杂志和广告看板上，却不跟任何人透漏它的涵意。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年4月号

9 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

10 visual   

adj.视力的，视觉的，观看的，直观的，看得见的，光学的

参考例句：

• The film is a visual art.电影是一种视觉艺术。
• His designs have a strong visual appeal.他的设计在视觉上很有感染力。

11 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

12 polluted   

adj.被污染的

参考例句：

• Polluted air hangs over the city.城市上空被污染的空气所笼罩。
• The air was polluted by factory smoke.空气被工厂冒的烟污染了。

13 appearance   

n.出现，露面；容貌

参考例句：

• In appearance, he was a little like his father.他看起来有点像他的父亲。
• She was a young woman of good appearance.她是一位年轻貌美的女子。

14 visually   

adv.视觉上；外表上；看得见地；形象化地

参考例句：

• a visually handicapped child 弱视儿童
• Our findings relate to physically rather than the visually handicapped pupils. 我们的研究结果是关于肢体残疾的学生，而不是视力有障碍的学生。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 proposed   

被提议的

参考例句：

• There is widespread discontent among the staff at the proposed changes to pay and conditions. 员工对改变工资和工作环境的建议普遍不满。
• an outcry over the proposed change 对拟议的改革所发出的强烈抗议

16 denying   

v.拒绝( deny的现在分词 )；拒绝承认；拒绝…占有；否认知情

参考例句：

• The President issued a terse statement denying the charges. 总统发表了一份简短的声明，否认那些指控。
• It's no use denying it; the evidence is conclusive. 证据确凿，不容狡赖。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

17 permit   

n.许可证，许可，执照；vt.允许，容许；vi.容许

参考例句：

• The doctor will not permit mother up until her leg is better.在母亲的腿好些之前,医生不允许她起床。
• The soldiers had orders to permit no stranger through.士兵们接到命令不许任何陌生人通过。

18 victory   

n.胜利，成功

参考例句：

• Victory will never come if we only wait for it.如果我们光是等待，胜利永远不会到来。
• It can't be questioned that we will win the final victory.我们将最终取得胜利，这是确定无疑的。

19 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

20 uncovered   

adj.无盖的，未保险的v.揭开…的盖子( uncover的过去式和过去分词 )；揭露，发现

参考例句：

• His head was uncovered. 他光着头。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police. 暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 immigrants   

n.移民( immigrant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Illegal immigrants were given the opportunity to regularize their position. 非法移民得到了使其身份合法化的机会。
• Immigrants from all over the world populate this city. 这个城市里生活着来自世界各地的移民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 current   

n.涌流，趋势，电流，水流，气流；adj.当前的，通用的，流通的，现在的，草写的，最近的

参考例句：

• Electric current is often powerful enough to kill a man.电流常强得足以致命。
• There is a story about her in the current number.最近一期上有关于她的故事。