常春藤解析英語 23 環(huán)球影城的環(huán)球魅力

環(huán)球影城的環(huán)球魅力

by Rebecca Fratzke

Universal Studios Hollywood — a place for fun, entertainment, and even history — is taking its first steps in a 25-year plan to expand the park. The new outline envisions an incredible growth of the amusement facilities as well as the development of a residential neighborhood in the area. This environmentally friendly living area is just another feather in the cap of this amazing park of wonder.

Originally known as Universal City, Universal Studios Hollywood was founded in 1915 by Carl Laemmle. It was the first studio to offer tours where audiences could watch films in production. Since then, Universal Studios has grown to include theme parks, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and much more. This park proved to be so popular that Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990, and last year, Universal Studios Japan (Osaka) celebrated its fifth birthday.

With so much past success from growth, it's no wonder that Universal is excited about its latest plans for expansion. Previous plans were scrapped due to complex zoning and environmental regulations. Now, they are ready to move ahead in full force.

While many new attractions are in the works for the new expansion, Universal will preserve some of its old attractions, such as the Bates Mansion from the film Psycho and the mechanical shark from Jaws. These attractions offer a historical perspective of the film industry. Preserving them illustrates the advance in film production techniques over the years. In addition to safeguarding the past, plenty of new high-tech soundstages, rides, and theaters are in the works. In May, Citywalk, a shopping, dining, and entertainment facility, began remodeling. Spring also saw the opening of SkyVenture Hollywood, an attraction where visitors can float 40 feet into the air on 125 mph winds. Not bad for a studio once called, "The strangest place on Earth."

1. As a result of the popularity of Universal Studios, ______.

(A) other parks and facilities were opened

(B) homeowners lost their property rights

(C) neighborhoods in the area were flattened

(D) Carl Laemmle decided to shut down his park

2. In the third paragraph, "scrapped" is closest in meaning to _____.

(A) blown up

(B) refused

(C) called off

(D) prolonged

3. According to the article, why will older attractions remain?

(A) They're too costly to replace.

(B) They provide insight into the development of the film industry.

(C) They represent the destruction of historic landmarks.

(D) They only cost US$25 million in annual upkeep.

4. What will more than likely occur because of the expansion of the park?

(A) The movie industry will improve its contents.

(B) Business will experience a slight slump.

(C) More tourists will be drawn to the area.

(D) Universal Studios will pass out more tour packages.

文法一點靈

Spring also saw the opening of SkyVenture Hollywood, ...

注意:

a.此處的 see 表事件或情況『發(fā)生』、『存在』之意，通常以『時間』或『地方』作主詞。

例: The 1990s saw several cultural exports from Japan make it big in Taiwan.

(九○年代有許多日本輸出的文化產(chǎn)物在臺灣大放異彩。)

b.而 see 也可以表『經(jīng)歷』、『遭遇』、『有……的經(jīng)驗』，即等于 experience 之意，通常以『人』作主詞。

例: The poor old beggar had seen better days when he was young.

(那可憐的老乞丐年輕時也曾有過好日子。)

精解字詞詞組

1. take one's first step(s) 開始某人的第一步

例: The couple is taking their first step to moving overseas.

(這對夫妻正開始移居海外的第一步。)

2. envision vt. 展望;想象(未來等)

例: We envision a bright and prosperous future for our new company.

(我們展望自己的新公司有個光明成功的未來。)

3. a feather in the cap of...= a feather in one's cap　 是……值得自豪的成就

例: The new book is a real feather in that author's cap because it's her best yet.

(這本新書的確是那位作者值得驕傲的成就。這是她目前為止最好的作品。)

4. prove (to be) N/adj. 證明(是)……

注意:

此處的 prove 作不完全不及物動詞用，表『證明是』、『顯示』之意，等同于 turn out，之后接 "to be + N/adj." 作主詞補語，而 to be 可省略。

例: After a series of investigations, the suspect was proven (to be) innocent and has been released.

(經(jīng)過一連串調查后，該嫌犯證實無罪而被釋放。)

5. be excited about... 對……感到興奮

例: The scientists were excited about the results of the experiment.

(科學家對實驗的結果感到很興奮。)

6. scrap vt. 放棄，拋棄

例: We'll have to scrap our plans for a vacation if that typhoon hits.

(如果臺風來襲，我們就得放棄渡假計劃。)

7. in full force 全力以赴，用盡一切力量

例: With the election just around the corner, the candidates will be campaigning in full force.

(隨著選舉即將到來，候選人無不卯足全力造勢。)

8. in the works 建設中;進行中

例: The legislation has been in the works for five years.

(這個法案已經(jīng)處理五年了。)

9. preserve vt. 保存，保護

例: All of us must do our part to preserve the natural habitat of those butterflies.

(我們每個人都該善盡本分保護這些蝴蝶的自然棲息地。)

10. illustrate vt.(舉例)說明∕證明

例: Could you please illustrate what you're trying to say a bit more? I don't fully understand it.

(可以請你多說明一下你的想法嗎?我并不是全然了解。)

11. safeguard vt. 防衛(wèi)，保護

例: To safeguard our computer system, the engineer installed anti-virus software.

(為了保護我們的計算機系統(tǒng)，工程師安裝了防毒軟件。)

12. blow up (...) (使……)爆炸

例: The bomb blew up and destroyed the building.

(那枚炸彈爆炸，摧毀了那棟建筑物。)

13. prolong vt. 延長

例: Please don't prolong the story. Just tell me everything right now.

(說事情不要拖拖拉拉?，F(xiàn)在就把一切都跟我說吧。)

14. replace vt. 取代

replace A with B　　以 B 取代 A

例: We're going to replace our old car with a new one next month.

(我們下個月要買一部新車來汰換舊車。)

15. pass out... 發(fā)送∕散發(fā)……

例: There are always people passing out free tissues on this corner.

(這個街角總是有人在發(fā)送免費面紙。)

單字小鋪

1. appeal n. 吸引力

2. outline n. 大綱，輪廓

3. facilities n. 設備(恒用復數(shù))

4. residential a. 住宅的

5. environmentally friendly　　環(huán)保的

6. production n. 制作;生產(chǎn)

7. expansion n. 擴張

8. zoning n. 都市的區(qū)域劃分

9. mechanical a. 機器的

10. historical a. 歷史的，史學的 historic a. 有歷史性的

11. perspective n. 觀點

12. soundstage n. 有聲電影攝影棚(聲音被有效控制、隔離的室內(nèi)攝影棚)

13. remodel vi. & vt. 重建，改裝

14. property n. 財產(chǎn)

15. costly a. 昂貴的

16. landmark n. 地標

17. upkeep n. 維修費

18. slump n. 下跌，衰敗

19. tour package　　套裝旅行團行程

詞組小鋪

1. shut down...　　關閉……

2. call off...　　取消……(= cancel...)

3. be drawn to...= be attracted to...　　被吸引到……

中文翻譯&標準答案

充滿歡樂、娛樂、甚至歷史的好萊塢環(huán)球影成正開始一個長達二十五年的擴建計劃。這個新的大綱展望游樂設施驚人的成長，以及該區(qū)住宅區(qū)的發(fā)展。而這個環(huán)保生活圈只是這神奇樂園值得驕傲的成就之一。

1915年由卡爾?萊梅里創(chuàng)立的環(huán)球影城最初稱為寰宇之都，是第一個開放游客觀賞電影制作過程的片廠。從那時起，環(huán)球影城便發(fā)展成一個包含主題樂園、餐廳、旅館與購物中心等的地方。游樂園大受歡迎的程度促使佛羅里達州的環(huán)球影城在 1990 年開幕，而去年大阪的環(huán)球影城也歡慶五周年。

在發(fā)展過程中有這么多成功的經(jīng)驗，難怪環(huán)球影城對最新的擴建計劃如此雀躍。先前的計劃因復雜的都市區(qū)域劃分和環(huán)境法規(guī)而流產(chǎn)?，F(xiàn)在，他們已經(jīng)準備好全力沖刺了。

雖然為擴建計劃增設的新設施正在動工，環(huán)球影城也保留了一些舊設施，像是電影《驚魂記》中的貝茲豪宅和《大白鯊》中的機器鯊魚。這些設施能提供電影工業(yè)史的一面。保留這些設備可以說明制片技術這幾年來的進步。除了保存過去，許多新穎的高科技有聲電影攝影棚、乘坐設備和劇場都正在興建中。五月時，結合購物、餐飲和娛樂設施的環(huán)球街市開始重新整修。SkyVenture 也于春季開幕，游客可以時速 125 英里的風速在 40 英尺的高空漂浮。對曾被稱為『地球上最奇怪的地方』而言，這還真不賴。

1. 因為環(huán)球影城的高人氣，_____。

(A) 其它分館與設施也陸續(xù)開張

(B) 屋主失去自己的財產(chǎn)權

(C) 鄰近區(qū)域遭夷平

(D) 卡爾?萊梅里決定關閉游樂園

題解: 根據(jù)本文第二段，由于游樂園大受歡迎，佛羅里達州的環(huán)球影城在 1990 年開幕，而去年大阪的環(huán)球影城也歡慶五周年，加上最近的擴建計劃，可知應選 (A)。

2. 第三段中的 "scrapped" 意思是 _____。

(A) 被炸掉

(B) 被拒絕

(C) 被取消

(D) 被延長

題解: scrap 的意思是『放棄、拋棄』，與 (C) 的意思相近，故選之。

3. 根據(jù)本文，為何舊的設備被保留下來?

(A) 取代它們太花錢。

(B) 它們使人得以洞察電影業(yè)的發(fā)展。

(C) 它們代表歷史性地標的破壞。

(D) 它們每年僅耗費兩千五百萬美金的維修費。

題解: 根據(jù)第四段，這些保留下來的舊設施能提供電影工業(yè)史的一面，說明制片技術這幾年來的進步，故選 (B)。

4. 因游樂園的擴建，什么事情可能會發(fā)生?

(A) 電影工業(yè)會改善其內(nèi)容。

(B) 生意會稍微下跌。

(C) 會有更多人被吸引到該區(qū)。

(D) 環(huán)球影城會推出更多旅游套裝行程。

題解: 從全文中的描述中可以推論，環(huán)球影城廣受歡迎，不斷推陳出新，勢必吸引更多人前往，故選 (C)。

標準答案: 1. (A)　2. (C)　3. (B)　4. (C)