VOA标准英语2010年-Historic British Dockyard Gets New Lea

For more than 400 years, the Chatham Dockyard was at the heart of British Maritime¹ history. When it closed in 1984, thousands were put out of work and the dockyard fell into disuse. But now it is emerging as a tourist destination, an educational center and a hub for young entrepreneurs.

Britain's Royal Navy flourished here for nearly 400 years.  At Chatham Dockyard in Southeastern England, ships were built and repaired and tradesmen crafted everything a naval² or merchant vessel³ needed.

The site is now maintained by a historic trust. Retired⁴ Admiral Ian Garnett is at the helm.

"This is I think one of the jewels in the crown of Britain's maritime heritage. It is the best example of a dockyard from the age of sail anywhere in the world," said Garnett.

And history is everywhere.

The sloop⁵ HMS Gannet protected British trade routes and did anti-slavery patrol in the 19th century. It was built here.

Also on display, this World War II naval destroyer, getting a bit of a facelift. And there's the ropery in a building that's a half-kilometer long.  It's been making rope since the 18th century and it's still at it today, selling its wares⁶ throughout the world.

"This is the longest working ropery around now,” noted⁷ Colin Parr who heads Master Ropemakers.  “There are some shorter versions, but not able to make full-length ropes."

Britain's industrial revolution began in the royal dockyards.  The earliest ships were built in open-air docks that were eventually covered. The giant shipbuilding sheds reflect the progress of the age, as wooden structures gave way to iron and steel ones. In all more than 500 ships were built here.

It takes about 5,000 trees to construct a ship like the Gannet. And when an old ship is renovated⁸ or decommissioned, the wooden planks⁹ are used elsewhere. Some of that recycled wood, including a piece from this ship, has ended up in the White House in Washington.

U.S. President Barack Obama sits at the Resolute¹⁰ Desk, a gift to America in 1880, made from old timbers in the Dockyard. 

In 2009, it got a new accessory, a pen holder¹¹. It was made by Chris Jones, the dockyard's head of shipkeeping.

"We had this piece of timber sitting in the workshop that came from the ship when it was restored and it conveniently had a groove¹² on one side that was kind of pen-shaped," said Jones.

The Dockyard closed in 1984, putting thousands out of work. But as a tourist and educational site there's been a revival¹³.

"It's growing at a tremendous rate,” said Jones.  “We have 400 people who live on site permanently¹⁴, and a thousand people who work on businesses on site and that figure is growing all the time."

A submarine for the Canadian Navy was the last thing built here.  It was launched in 1966.

Another is back at the Dockyard, being used for tours.  Organizers here are bidding to be part of a United Nations World Heritage site. Rich with relics¹⁵ from the past, the Chatham Dockyard hopes it also has a bright future.
 

1 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

2 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

3 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

4 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。

5 sloop   

n.单桅帆船

参考例句：

• They heeled the sloop well over,skimming it along to windward.他们使单桅小船倾斜适当，让它顶着风向前滑去。
• While a sloop always has two sails,a cat-rigged boat generally has only one.一艘单桅帆船总是有两面帆，但一艘单桅艇通常只有一面帆。

6 wares   

n. 货物, 商品

参考例句：

• They sold their wares at half-price. 他们的货品是半价出售的。
• The peddler was crying up his wares. 小贩极力夸耀自己的货物。

7 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。

8 renovated   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He renovated his house. 他翻修了房子。
• The house has been renovated three years earlier. 这所房子三年前就已翻新。

9 planks   

（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点

参考例句：

• The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
• We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

10 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

11 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

12 groove   

n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯

参考例句：

• They're happy to stay in the same old groove.他们乐于墨守成规。
• The cupboard door slides open along the groove.食橱门沿槽移开。

13 revival   

n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振

参考例句：

• The period saw a great revival in the wine trade.这一时期葡萄酒业出现了很大的复苏。
• He claimed the housing market was showing signs of a revival.他指出房地产市场正出现复苏的迹象。

14 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。

15 relics   

[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸

参考例句：

• The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。
• Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。