2006年VOA标准英语-Orange County, California Grows Up as a Cultura

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
19 September 2006

Orange County, California, is known for surfing, swimming and its famous Disneyland theme park, but the suburban¹ region south of Los Angeles is also becoming a cultural center. A new Orange County concert hall opened this month. It rivals the best in the United States, and is attracting world-class talent.

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Disneyland    
  
This was once a farming area, then a bedroom community for the city of Los Angeles, where workers in manufacturing and the aerospace³ industry could buy cheap tract² homes. Wealthier families settled on the hillsides.

In 1955, Orange County became a tourist center, as cartoonist Walt Disney opened his famous theme park.

Before long, Orange County's palm-lined beaches were known around the world for their swimming and surfing, and movies like Orange County poked⁴ fun at the local lifestyle.

"I was just another Orange County surfer, carving⁵ waves, playing volleyball. But there's more to life than extreme sports and partying."

Orange County has moved beyond its laid-back image. In 1965, a branch of the University of California opened in the Orange County city of Irvine, and the area has become a high tech and automotive design center. 
 
 
Orange County Performing Arts Center
  
Now, local leaders say it is a cultural destination. The newly expanded Orange County Performing Arts Center includes a 2,000-seat concert hall and smaller 500-seat theater, to supplement two existing venues⁶.

Henry Segerstrom, whose family made a fortune growing lima beams, built one of the country's largest shopping malls in Orange County. He donated land for the new hall and gave $40 million toward its cost. The hall is named after Segerstrom and his late wife, Renee.

The 83-year-old developer was born in Orange County when it was home to fewer than 200,000 people.

"Our population base now is 20 times that," said Henry Segerstrom. "We're at three million people. And we're a high technology center in the world and a higher education center. So we have now matured in one more step. With the opening of the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, we've become a cultural center in America and internationally."

Terrence Dwyer, president of the performing arts center, says the new multi-tiered theater is itself a work of art, and an acoustic⁷ wonder.

"It's actually a tunable⁸ hall," said Terrence Dwyer. "There are over 100 doors on every level throughout the hall that are opened and closed and adjusted to the needs of each particular piece of music. It's really an amazing musical instrument in and of itself."

John Alexander directs and conducts the Pacific Chorale, the 170-member vocal⁹ group that performs at the center.

"We have performed in every hall in Southern California, as well as Carnegie Hall and Chicago Symphony Hall and in New York at Lincoln Center," noted¹⁰ John Alexander. "This is our favorite place. After two weeks of dealing¹¹ with acoustics¹², we can hear beautifully in this hall. We are just thrilled. It's an extraordinary place."

Cesar Pelli, an Argentinian-born American architect, designed the new addition, working with the noted acoustic designer Russell Johnson. Pelli's fa?ade of undulating glass gives the hall a distinctive¹³ appearance.

As he sat onstage hours before the opening performance, he spoke¹⁴ about the design of the new building.

"I would not know how to describe it for somebody who has not seen it in some images, but I will say that the building is welcoming, delightful¹⁵, uplifting - that's very important to me," said Cesar Pelli. "This will prepare you for the magic that is a great concert, in a very intimate way, with other fellow citizens, with friends. And you will be listening to music being created right there.

Performances the opening weekend featured tenor¹⁶ Placido Domingo and the violinist Midori.

The expanded performing arts center will also feature opera, ballet and Broadway shows, all in the heart of Orange County.

1 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

2 tract   

n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林)

参考例句：

• He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
• He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。

3 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

4 poked   

v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交

参考例句：

• She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
• His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 carving   

n.雕刻品，雕花

参考例句：

• All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
• He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。

6 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

7 acoustic   

adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的

参考例句：

• The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
• Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。

8 tunable   

adj.可调的；可调谐

参考例句：

• Researchers realised that a tunable laser beam might be useful in surgery. 研究人员意识到，可调谐激光束也许可以用在外科手术中。 来自辞典例句
• The experiment of wavelength conversion using tunable external-cavity semiconductor laser is performed. 利用可调谐外腔半导体激光器进行了波长转换实验。 来自互联网

9 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 acoustics   

n.声学，(复)音响效果，音响装置

参考例句：

• The acoustics of the new concert hall are excellent.这座新音乐厅的音响效果极好。
• The auditorium has comfortable seating and modern acoustics.礼堂里有舒适的座椅和现代化的音响设备。

13 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

14 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

15 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

16 tenor   

n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意

参考例句：

• The tenor of his speech was that war would come.他讲话的大意是战争将要发生。
• The four parts in singing are soprano,alto,tenor and bass.唱歌的四个声部是女高音、女低音、男高音和男低音。