VOA标准英语2010年-Hitting the Road and Staying at Home -

America is full of vacation lodges¹ . . . on wheels!

They are known as motor homes - literally² kitchens, living rooms, and beds on the move across America. There are more than 1.5 million of these self-propelled rolling dwellings³ in the United States. They range from simple pick-up trucks with camper units attached to deluxe⁴ recreational vehicles - or RVs - as big as a moving van.

 smemon87, Flickr Creative Commons
This is the unfancy end of the motor home spectrum⁵!

Since a motor home vacation is often cheaper than a trip requiring stays at hotels and resorts, one might think the RV industry is thriving, despite the longest and deepest recession since the 1930s. But not so.  About 62,000 new motor homes rolled out of dealerships in 2004, but just one-third that many were sold last year. Orders are up early this year, however, as consumer credit loosens somewhat.

Out west, especially, where there are plenty of campgrounds and national parks, you see thousands of motor homes. Their owners have clubs, magazines, a national association - even conventions, twice a year! They are warmly welcomed in most places, because they are often retired⁶ couples who have money to spend, teachers with an entire summer available for travel, or well-behaved families on vacation. Many motor home owners have driven to all 50 U.S. states - except, of course, Hawaii, way out in the Pacific Ocean.

 jrandallc, Flickr Creative Commons
The photographer who posted this image on Flickr Creative Commons titled it, "Rockin' the RV".

Often neighbors take several trips together each year, sharing gasoline costs, home-cooked meals - not to mention laughs and memories. Even with poor gas mileage⁷ on most RV units, these vagabonds can travel for about one-fifth what others pay who fly, buy meals in restaurants, and stay in motels.

And while drivers and passengers alike in large motor homes are supposed to keep their seat belts fastened on the road, it's not uncommon⁸ to find someone in back reaching for cold refreshments⁹, spreading maps out on a table - even taking a nap, fully¹⁰ reclined!
 

1 lodges   

v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• But I forget, if I ever heard, where he lodges in Liverpool. 可是我记不得有没有听他说过他在利物浦的住址。 来自辞典例句
• My friend lodges in my uncle's house. 我朋友寄居在我叔叔家。 来自辞典例句

2 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

3 dwellings   

n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices. 新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
• The hovels which passed for dwellings are being pulled down. 过去用作住室的陋屋正在被拆除。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 deluxe   

adj.华美的，豪华的，高级的

参考例句：

• This system puts the top hotels in a special deluxe category.这种分类法把最高级的旅馆列为特殊豪华级。
• I liked the deluxe edition,but I could afford only a second best.我喜欢精装版，但我只买得起一本稍差一点的。

5 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

6 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

7 mileage   

n.里程，英里数；好处，利润

参考例句：

• He doesn't think there's any mileage in that type of advertising.他认为做那种广告毫无效益。
• What mileage has your car done?你的汽车跑了多少英里？

8 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

9 refreshments   

n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待

参考例句：

• We have to make a small charge for refreshments. 我们得收取少量茶点费。
• Light refreshments will be served during the break. 中间休息时有点心供应。

10 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。