VOA标准英语2010年-South Africa Upgrades Transportation N

Johannesburg's extensively refurbished international airport can now handle 28 million passengers yearly

Preparations are in the final stages for the June 11th kick-off of the football World Cup.  One of the world's biggest sporting events is being held for the first time on African soil.  South Africa has spent billions of dollars preparing for the event, including more than $2 billion upgrading transportation networks. 

The first impression of many foreign fans arriving for the football World Cup will be the five-story-high arrivals hall at Johannesburg's extensively refurbished international airport.

The South African government has spent nearly $700 million on this airport alone.  It has nearly doubled passenger capacity at Africa's largest airport from 17 million passengers a year to 28 million.

It has also linked the domestic and international terminals and modernized¹ ticketing counters, shops and food outlets².

Airports Company of South Africa manages the country's largest airports.  Company spokesman Solomon Makgale says the five-year project has created a premium-quality facility.

"This is a world-class airport that you will [would] probably see in Europe or other parts of America.  It is really built up to international standards and in some instances we would like to believe we have surpassed the benchmarks that have been set," he said.

President Jacob Zuma last month inaugurated the new international airport at Durban.  He said it came as the country prepared to experience what he called the largest wave of aviation traffic in its history. "We are thrilled by the fact that we are able to present the World Cup in a South Africa that is going through a huge building and reconstruction³ phase," he said.

The billion-dollar facility can handle more than 7 million passengers and 50,000 tons of cargo⁴ a year.

The government has also modernized and nearly doubled passenger capacity at the airports of Cape⁵ Town, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth.  The upgrades are to help meet an ambitious goal of increasing tourist arrivals from 10 million per year to 15 million in the next five years.

More than $2 billion have been spent upgrading overland transportation.  Construction has begun on a new, high-speed railway line linking Johannesburg and Pretoria.  The first link, between Johannesburg's financial center, Sandton, and the airport is to be open in time for the World Cup.

A new, 500-vehicle rapid-transit bus system is also being rolled out in the country's largest cities.

The improvements to infrastructure⁶ are not just for the thousands of foreign fans who will visit during the tournament.  They are meant to support the country's growing economy for decades to come.

Makgale says special efforts have also been made to improve security and deal with any terrorist threats at the country's transportation hubs.

"We have been working very closely with South African Police Service.  They have got members of the South African police in the terminal building patrolling at all times.  We have now supported them by hiring a private security company that is also patrolling and monitoring the public areas," Makgale said.

Although South Africans say there may be some minor⁷ problems during the Cup, many see it is an opportunity to showcase their country and the hospitality of its citizens.
 

1 modernized   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的过去式和过去分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• By 1985 the entire railway network will have been modernized. 等到1985年整个铁路网就实现现代化了。
• He set about rebuilding France, and made it into a brilliant-looking modernized imperialism. 他试图重建法国，使它成为一项表面华丽的现代化帝业。

2 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

4 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

5 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。