经济学人:城市规划铁路大设想

时间:2015-11-03 17:12:04 编辑:mike 可可英语APP下载 | 可可官方微信:ikekenet

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IN JANUARY commuters voted Birmingham New Street one of Britain's worst railway stations.
今年1月，英国上班族的投票结果显示伯明翰新街火车站是全英最差的火车站。

But by next year it will be transformed, with 400 tonnes of undulating steel cladding and a vaguely eyeball appearance.
但明年，情况将有所改善—车站将使用400顿的包钢材料，带给人们一种模糊的视觉体验。

The station will have the wow factor, boasts Sir Albert Bore, the leader of Birmingham city council.
伯明翰市长Albert Bore夸耀说，这个车站将会使走过路过的人情不自禁的叫出声来，

Railway stations are the chief exception to the rule that Britain invests too little in infrastructure.
英国向来对基础设施的投资就少，但火车站则是一个例外。

Of the 17 big termini managed by Network Rail, the owner of Britain's tracks, 11 are being redeveloped or have recently been completed.
英国铁道所有者铁路网管理的17个火车站中，有11个使乘客对火车站的态度实现360度大转弯，

Five other stations, including Reading and Northampton, are being spruced up by local councils and Network Rail.
还有5个（包括雷丁火车站和北安普顿火车站）由当地政府和铁路局负责翻新修理。

Some simply need to be expanded: the number of train journeys has risen by 35% since 2005.
有一些则只需要扩建：自2005年起，搭乘火车旅行的人次上升了35%。

But the design of New Street suggests aspirations well beyond more easeful travel.
但是新街火车站的设计表明，改良的初衷不仅仅是为了实现提供更舒适的旅行这一基本目的。

The building would not look out of place in Dubai and is striking, if slightly incongruous, in the grey West Midlands.
这种独特亮眼的建筑出现在迪拜很合适，但是在灰蒙蒙的西米德兰兹郡，就有那么点不合时宜了。

City planners wanted something monumental, like Grand Central station in New York, says Sir Bernard Zissman, chairman of the independent design panel.
城市规划者、独立设计小组主席Bernard Zissman解释说想建一些地标性的建筑物，就像纽约的中央车站一样。

Twenty or thirty years ago business people were more likely to arrive in a city by car, explains Jon Neale of Jones Lang LaSalle, a property specialist.
仲量联行的房地产专家Jon Neale说，二三十年以前，商人们大多数情况下都会坐车，

In 1962 a local politician claimed that a new design for Birmingham, involving an inner ring road, would make it one of the finest city centres in Europe.
1962年，一位当地政客称会在伯明翰开始新的城市规划，包括建设一条内环路，使其成为欧洲最好的市中心之一。

at King's Cross, a once-grimy part of north London, a postcode has been created for all the new buildings around the station, which was redeveloped in 2013.
英国王十字车站曾是北伦敦一个污秽不堪的地方，2013年重建后，所有车站周围的新建筑都被赋予了一个新的邮编。

John Lewis, an upmarket department store, will open in the mall above New Street (which is indeed called Grand Central) along with 60 other shops.
高档百货公司John Lewis将会在新街车站上面开一家商城（命名为中央车站）以及60家商店。

Those structures spoke to the corporate sensibility of a city, says Tristram Hunt, an MP and historian, by combining commerce with the sheen of civic pride.
历史学家兼国会议员Tristram Hunt说，那些建筑结合了商业贸易和公民自豪感，向企业家们诉说着城市的点滴与沉淀。

The first New Street station, built in 1851, had the largest single-span roof in the country at the time.
1851年修建的第一个新街火车站有那个时代最大的单拱桥屋顶。

扫描二维码进行跟读打分训练

1.railway station 火车站

例句:The 'customs house is near the railway station.
海关离火车站很近。

2.need to 需要

例句:Most people recognise the need to pay a golden hello to attract the best.
大多数人都认识到需要用高额聘金来吸引精英人才。

3.likely to 可能

例句:This is likely to revive consumer spending and a whole raft of consumer industries.
这可能会带动消费性支出和一大批消费工业的复苏。

4.arrive in 到达

例句:Can we arrive in Beijing on time or not?
我们能否按时到达北京？

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重点单词		查看全部解释
corporate	['kɔ:pərit]	想一想再看 adj. 社团的，法人的，共同的，全体的	联想记忆 X 单词corporate 联想记忆： corpor躯体，al－法人的
independent	[indi'pendənt]	想一想再看 adj. 独立的，自主的，有主见的 n. 独立	联想记忆 X 单词independent 联想记忆： in不+(de加强+pend=hang悬挂+able→可靠的)→独立的
network	['netwə:k]	想一想再看 n. 网络，网状物，网状系统 vt. (
factor	['fæktə]	想一想再看 n. 因素，因子 vt. 把 ... 因素包括	联想记忆 X 单词factor 联想记忆： fact做，制作+or→促使人做的东西→要素；动力
appeal	[ə'pi:l]	想一想再看 n. 恳求，上诉，吸引力 n. 诉诸裁决	联想记忆 X 单词appeal 联想记忆： ap一再，peal＝pull拉－一再拉－吸引
spoke	[spəuk]	想一想再看 v. 说，说话，演说
striking	['straikiŋ]	想一想再看 adj. 吸引人的，显著的 n. 打击
incongruous	[in'kɔŋgruəs]	想一想再看 adj. 不协调的，不一致的，前后不一的
enthusiastic	[in.θju:zi'æstik]	想一想再看 adj. 热情的，热心的
bore	[bɔ:]	想一想再看 vt. 使厌烦 n. 讨厌的人，麻烦事