托福听力荟萃 19

Today we'll examine the role that private transportation,______, the______plays in city planning. A number of sociologists blame the automobile¹ for the decline of the downtown areas of major cities. In the 1950's and 1960's the automobile made it possible to work in the city and yet live in the suburbs many miles away. Shopping patterns changed: instead of______downtown stores, people in the suburbs went to large shopping malls outside the city and closer to home. Merchants in the city failed; and their stores closed. Downtown shopping areas became______. In recent years there's been a______of the downtown areas, as many______have moved back to the city. They've done this, of course, to avoid highways______with commuters from the suburbs. I've chosen this particular city planning problem—our dependence² on private transportation to discuss in groups. I'm hoping you all will come up with some innovative³ solutions. Oh, and don't approach the problem from a purely⁴ sociological perspective; try to take into account environmental and economic issues as well.

 

 

【填空答案】

namely: adv. used to introduce additional information which makes it clear exactly who or what you are talking about 即，也就是（说）

automobile: n. ［C］AmEa car【美】汽车

patronize: v.formalto use or visit a shop, restaurant etc【正式】光顾，惠顾（商店、餐馆等）

desert: v. to leave someone alone and refuse to help or support them any more 遗弃，抛弃，离弃；to leave a place so that it is completely empty 舍弃，离开（某地）

rebirth: n.formala change by which an important idea, feeling, or organization becomes active again【正式】（思想、感情、组织的）再生，复兴

suburbanite⁵: n.［C］someone who lives in a suburb 郊区居民，住在郊区的人

clog⁶: v. if something clogs⁷ a road, pipe etc, or a road or a pipe clogs, it gradually becomes blocked and no longer works properly 阻塞，塞在

【听力原文】

Today we'll examine the role that private transportation ---namely, the automobile --- plays in city planning.

A number of sociologists blame the automobile for the decline of the downtown areas of major cities. In the 1950's and 1960's the automobile made it possible to work in the city and yet live in the suburbs many miles away. Shopping patterns changed: instead of patronizing downtown stores, people in the suburbs went to large shopping malls outside the city and closer to home. Merchants in the city failed; and their sores closed. Downtown shopping areas became deserted⁸.

In recent years there's been a rebirth of the downtown areas, as many suburbanites have moved back to the city. They've done this, of course, to avoid highways clogged⁹ with commuters from the suburbs.

I've chosen this particular city planning problem --- our dependence on private transportation --- to discuss in groups. I'm hoping you all will come up with some innovative solutions. Oh, and don't approach the problem from a purely sociological perspective; try to take into account environmental and economic issues as well.

1 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

2 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

3 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

4 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

5 suburbanite   

n. 郊区居民

参考例句：

• Which ups the odds a mosquito a suburbanite may have recently a bird carrying the virus. 因此一只嗡嗡飞向市郊居民的蚊子，刚刚叮过带有病毒的鸟的可能性就增加了。

6 clog   

vt.塞满，阻塞；n.[常pl.]木屐

参考例句：

• In cotton and wool processing,short length fibers may clog sewers.在棉毛生产中，短纤维可能堵塞下水管道。
• These streets often clog during the rush hour.这几条大街在交通高峰时间常常发生交通堵塞。

7 clogs   

木屐； 木底鞋，木屐( clog的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Clogs are part of the Netherlands national costume. 木屐是荷兰民族服装的一部分。
• Clogs are part of the Dutch traditional costume. 木屐是荷兰传统装束的一部分。

8 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

9 clogged   

（使）阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 )； 淤滞

参考例句：

• The narrow streets were clogged with traffic. 狭窄的街道上交通堵塞。
• The intake of gasoline was stopped by a clogged fuel line. 汽油的注入由于管道阻塞而停止了。