VOA标准英语2011--Triple Crown Jewel Lifts Tarnished Maryl

Triple Crown Jewel Lifts Tarnished¹ Maryland Horse Racing² Industry

The 136th running of the Preakness Stakes has been hailed as a huge success for horse racing in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland. The Preakness is the second leg of the three horse races that make up what is called the Triple Crown.
More than 107,000 people attended the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore to watch Shackleford speed to victory on Saturday. Government leaders and industry experts are hopeful this year's Preakness will bring a boost to the state's struggling horse industry.
Music filled the air. Colorful fancy hats dominated the view and money flowed just as fast as bettors could say, "Horse Number 5."
The crowd at Pimlico race track was the seventh largest in Preakness race history, leaving industry specialists like Bill Nack, the author of the book Secretariat, The Making of a Champion, hopeful that Maryland's declining horse racing industry might be ready to rebound³.
"I think racing is going to experience a comeback," he said. "You know, there is just too much going for it. America has always had a special relationship with the horse. The horse settled the West. They have been a part of our cultural heritage, and when people see horses they have good feelings."
But Maryland horse racing needs more than good feelings to survive. Only a small portion of Preakness fans come back to Maryland's tracks during the rest of the year. That, along with poor planning and a lack of expected revenue from slot-machine gambling⁴ in the state, has left the industry with a desperate need for more money.
Last week, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed a bill that allows money set aside for racetrack improvements to go to operational uses, including paying the industry's 28,000 full-time⁵ workers. The deal gives the state's horse racing industry much needed revenue through 2013. But Governor O'Malley tells VOA the horse racing industry must come together and figure out a long-term strategy for survival.
"We should not be saving an industry, as important as this is, every year in the closing bells of the legislative⁶ session," said O'Malley. "We need a solution that will last for a generation or more, and I hope that is what the industry comes up with."
In the state where the American thoroughbred horse industry was founded, the Maryland Jockey Club has been racing since 1743 and began running the Preakness Stakes more than 130 years ago.
Club President Tom Chuckas said horsemen, breeders and other industry leaders will spend the next few months crafting a solution to fund the sport. "The goal is how do you make the rest of the year profitable," he said.
Chuckas said the Maryland Jockey Club aims to keep current clients happy, while searching for new blood to invest in the business.
The Club has reached out to the ad agency Elevation⁷ to bring in new fans to the Preakness. Elevation President Jim Learned said they successfully tapped into the global appeal of horse racing through projects like the International Pavilion, a tent at the finish line where an ambassador from a selected host country can come to the race and showcase that country's culture.
Last year's host country was Spain. This year, Mexico shared its tequila and unique cuisine⁸ with guests, including foreign diplomats⁹, Governor O'Malley and actor Woody Harrelson.
"In South America, Latin America and in Europe it is a very, very popular sport," said Learned. "This event itself is carried live on television in various countries. It has millions and millions of viewers, so it made total sense for us to extend it out."
Nack said another solution could be cutting the number of competition days.
"They should be racing in shorter, more colorful bursts," he said. "They are getting a lot of resistance from the horsemen who want to race all year because that is how they make a living, but I do not think Maryland racing can survive in that configuration¹⁰."
Chuckas said the success surrounding this year's Preakness is a reason for hope. "It sets the tone for the whole entire year, and usually how the Preakness goes, the rest of the year goes."
Others in the state whose livelihoods¹¹ depend on horse racing are betting the industry can bounce back before it is too weak to recover.

1 tarnished   

（通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏

参考例句：

• The mirrors had tarnished with age. 这些镜子因年深日久而照影不清楚。
• His bad behaviour has tarnished the good name of the school. 他行为不轨，败坏了学校的声誉。

2 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

3 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。

4 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

5 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

8 cuisine   

n.烹调，烹饪法

参考例句：

• This book is the definitive guide to world cuisine.这本书是世界美食的权威指南。
• This restaurant is renowned for its cuisine.这家餐馆以其精美的饭菜而闻名。

9 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 configuration   

n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置

参考例句：

• Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。
• Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

11 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。