VOA标准英语2008年-Astroland Amusement Park in New York's Coney Is

An icon¹ of New York's Coney Island, the Astroland amusement park, is closing its doors after nearly 50 years. Victoria Cavaliere reports that Astroland's owners and the residents of Coney Island say the shutdown marks the end of an era and also brings up questions about the future of the oceanfront Brooklyn neighborhood.
　
Astroland Amusement Park

When Astroland opened in 1962 it represented the future of amusement theme parks, boasting state-of-the-art rides and attractions operating with an outer-space theme.

The park is a fixture² on the Coney Island boardwalk, best known for the Cyclone³, its wooden roller coaster ride and the Wonder Wheel, a seaside landmark⁴. Astroland's 22 rides and three game arcades⁵ provided jobs for up to 300 people.

The amusement park was a family venture. In 2006, its owners, Jerome and Carol Albert, sold the land to real-estate developer Thor Equities⁶ for about $30 million. The Alberts had retained rights to operate the park, but disagreements over terms of the lease and worries about the developer's ultimate plans for the site led to Astroland's demise⁷.

Carol Albert said she was forced to close permanently⁸ on Sunday because the real-estate firm refused to meet to discuss her lease, which expires at the end of this year. She says an answer was imperative⁹, since she was waiting to order equipment for repairs and also wanted to give her employees an answer about their future.

"I had indicated there would come a day that I would have to form a deadline and I did, and there was no response to the deadline. So we had to end the park and move out before the lease is up," she said.

The men and women who collect tickets and operate the rides at Astroland said they were devastated¹⁰ to learn it would be closing. Gloria Aviles, the chief of a fire-engine ride popular with young children, has worked there for the past eight years.

"We are like a family. I'm going to miss this," she said.

Albert says she hopes to sell the park in its entirety, but may have to sell each ride individually at auction¹¹.

"My father-in-law and my husband made all the choices about what rides were going to be here and where they were going to be placed. It's an expression of a vision, and I'd like to keep it together," she said.

Although Astroland is departing, the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel are safe from the developer's wrecking¹² ball, and are expected to stay in operation. Both of the vintage attractions were given city landmark status years ago and cannot be demolished¹³.

Astroland has been by far the biggest amusement center on Coney Island, which has been a favorite holiday destination for Americans in the New York area since the 19th Century. It is the birthplace of the hot dog and is known for its kitschy rides, street performers, sand beaches and family-friendly atmosphere.

Charles Denson, a Coney Island historian and author of the book "Coney Island: Lost And Found," says the area's amusement parks were special because they were affordable¹⁴ and accessible to everyone - including, in recent years, an increasing number of Russians and other foreign-born Americans. Denson says there is growing concern that as the amusement industry wanes¹⁵, developers may seek to build more generic¹⁶ stores and condominium apartments in the neighborhood.

"It's really sad, but symbolically¹⁷, besides the obvious problem with losing Astroland, is that it could be some sort of signal they really don't want amusements here. Or if they do it will be some sort of branding thing where they have some kiddie rides on the boardwalk and it will be overshadowed by condos and a shopping mall. It's not what Coney Island is about," he said.

Thor Equities could not be reached for comment, but the development group issued a statement saying it was in touch with numerous amusement operators to discuss a "permanent year-round development."

Meanwhile, visitors expressed surprise and sadness at the news that Astroland would be shutting down. Marie Chism, who visits Coney Island from Manhattan, said she did not believe the park would actually shut down.

"It's tragic¹⁸. It's like a death in the family of New York," she said. "It's very fundamental in Brooklyn."

But Astroland's final chapter may be still to come. A few days after the park's announced closure, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said hope is not yet lost, and that city officials are trying to step in and get a one-year renewal¹⁹ of Astroland's lease.

 

1 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

2 fixture   

n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款

参考例句：

• Lighting fixture must be installed at once.必须立即安装照明设备。
• The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens.无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。

3 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

4 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

5 arcades   

n.商场( arcade的名词复数 )；拱形走道（两旁有商店或娱乐设施）；连拱廊；拱形建筑物

参考例句：

• Clothes are on sale in several shopping arcades these days. 近日一些服装店的服装正在大减价。 来自轻松英语会话---联想4000词(下)
• The Plaza Mayor, with its galleries and arcades, is particularly impressive. 市长大厦以其别具风格的走廊和拱廊给人留下十分深刻的印象。 来自互联网

6 equities   

普通股，股票

参考例句：

• These are invested mainly in the OECD bonds and equities. 这些资产主要投资于经济合作及发展组织的债券与股票市场。
• They are also advantage of the global rebound in equities. 它们还在利用全球股市反弹的机会。

7 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

8 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

9 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

10 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。

11 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

12 wrecking   

破坏

参考例句：

• He teed off on his son for wrecking the car. 他严厉训斥他儿子毁坏了汽车。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Instead of wrecking the valley, the waters are put to use making electricity. 现在河水不但不在流域内肆疟，反而被人们用来生产电力。 来自辞典例句

13 demolished   

v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光

参考例句：

• The factory is due to be demolished next year. 这个工厂定于明年拆除。
• They have been fighting a rearguard action for two years to stop their house being demolished. 两年来，为了不让拆除他们的房子，他们一直在进行最后的努力。

14 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

15 wanes   

v.衰落( wane的第三人称单数 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• The moon waxes till it becomes full, and then wanes. 月亮渐盈，直到正圆，然后消亏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The moon waxes and wanes every month. 月亮每个月都有圆缺。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 generic   

adj.一般的，普通的，共有的

参考例句：

• I usually buy generic clothes instead of name brands.我通常买普通的衣服，不买名牌。
• The generic woman appears to have an extraordinary faculty for swallowing the individual.一般妇女在婚后似乎有特别突出的抑制个性的能力。

17 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

18 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

19 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。