VOA常速英语2008年-New Orleans Spirit Upbeat as Recovery From Hurr

By Greg Flakus
New Orleans
24 April 2008

U.S. President George Bush met with the leaders of Mexico and Canada in New Orleans earlier this week, giving that city much needed attention as it continues to recover nearly three years after it was devastated¹ by Hurricane Katrina. Increased activity at the city's port, fifth largest in the United States by volume, and a boom in the oil and gas industry in the nearby Gulf² of Mexico have helped. And, as VOA's Greg Flakus reports from New Orleans, the city's tourism sector³ is also on the rebound⁴.

Pirates recently took over New Orleans, but instead of pillaging⁵ the city they spent their dubloons, or rather their dollars, at local hotels and restaurants.

There were more than 700 pirate impersonators from all around the country in town for the pirate convention. Men and women who probably maintain normal lives and careers back home decked themselves out in 17th century pirate garb⁶ and roamed the streets of the French Quarter, perhaps seeking the spirit of pirate Jean Lafite, who called this area home some 200 years ago.

Johnny Redbone, from California, says this is an ideal city for pirates. "It kind of fits the pirate persona, having a good time, partying and wenching and drinking, It is a pirate's life for me and this is New Orleans, so it fits!," he said.

The pirate convention is just one of many events drawing people to the city known as the Big Easy this year. Tourism officials say last year was the best they have had since before Katrina struck and they expect this year to be even better.

Even President Bush noticed the up tick in morale⁷ when he was here at a luncheon⁸ with local civic⁹ leaders Tuesday. "My impression is that there is a lot more hope now than there was, even a year ago. People have a little different bounce in their step," he said.

There is also plenty of music in the air, befitting the city where jazz was born. This weekend thousands of people will pour into New Orleans for the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival to see and hear such big stars as Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and the Neville Brothers.

Another thing lifting civic spirits is the recent re-opening of the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, a favorite with tourists and locals alike, according to Mary Beth Romig of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. "People love to get on and ride and see the avenue and the beauty of the avenue, so it was a boost economically for the regional transit¹⁰ authority, but also it is important for New Orleanians to be able to take the street car to and from work. It helped in the commute¹¹ for locals, very important. It was a great celebration the day it came back on line," she said.

But, while the economy is showing marked signs of improvement, Romig says Katrina's effects linger. "New Orleans remains¹² a tale of two cities. We still have a long way to go in some of our outlying neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods are coming back quicker than others. I think we will see a different New Orleans, but hopefully a better New Orleans, even if it is a little smaller, it will be a better New Orleans because we will have learned a lot of lessons," she said.

Another sign of the city's continuing recovery is the plan by developer Donald Trump¹³ to build a combination residence and hotel tower in the heart of the business district, at a site now occupied by a parking lot. Once completed late next year, the 70-story, 215-meter building will be the tallest in New Orleans and in the entire state of Louisiana.

1 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

5 pillaging   

v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The rebels went looting and pillaging. 叛乱者趁火打劫，掠夺财物。
• Soldiers went on a rampage, pillaging stores and shooting. 士兵们横冲直撞，洗劫商店并且开枪射击。 来自辞典例句

6 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

7 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

8 luncheon   

n.午宴，午餐，便宴

参考例句：

• We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
• I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

9 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

10 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

11 commute   

vi.乘车上下班；vt.减(刑)；折合；n.上下班交通

参考例句：

• I spend much less time on my commute to work now.我现在工作的往返时间要节省好多。
• Most office workers commute from the suburbs.很多公司的职员都是从郊外来上班的。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。