VOA标准英语2012--US Security Vigilant for Super Bowl

US Security Vigilant¹ for Super Bowl

A large parking lot, mostly out of view to the public, was the scrimmage line [the field of play] for the team protecting Super Bowl football fans.
Agents like Brian Bell from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency used detection equipment to scan all cargo² deliveries headed for Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, site of the championship match between the New England Patriots³ and New York Giants. “So far we’ve been averaging a little over 200 [inspections] per day," he said.
And that was long before the game kicked off [began].
Bell says the overall Super Bowl security effort is comparable to the protection that surrounds the president of the United States. “The level of security here is equivalent to what would be in place at an inauguration⁴ or any other national security event," he said.
Security was visible on the ground in Indianapolis and in the airspace above.
“We have a pretty good view point. That’s the advantage to having helicopters," said Customs and Border Protection pilot Dan Housting. He provided aerial surveillance of the crowds gathered in Indianapolis.
Using a camera mounted under the helicopter, agents are able to pinpoint⁵ possible problems and track potential threats. “But it also has a downlink, so it can be transmitted to a ground station. So if you are an agent on the ground, or in a big command center, you can see what we’re seeing," said Housting.
The customs and border agency’s flight director, Eric Rembold, says another important role for his agents in the air is intercepting⁶ aircraft that might pose a threat. “[September 11th] proved to us that a threat from the air is absolutely within possibilities. In today’s times, sadly enough, you have to expect the unexpected. And that’s why we’re beefing up the air security portion of it," he said.
The security team’s schedule called for empty airspace over Indianapolis starting two hours before game time. “That’s when the clamp tightens⁷ down and the area becomes a real no-fly zone. The temporary flight restriction⁸ is two hours before the Super Bowl, all through the Super Bowl, and an hour after the Super Bowl, so we’re talking about seven hours," said Rembold.
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest attractions in American sports, drawing more than 300,000 people to Indiana’s capital city.
An uneventful day is the best measure of success for the agents protecting those football fans.

1 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

2 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。

3 patriots   

爱国者，爱国主义者( patriot的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Abraham Lincoln was a fine type of the American patriots. 亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国爱国者的优秀典型。
• These patriots would fight to death before they surrendered. 这些爱国者宁愿战斗到死，也不愿投降。

4 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

5 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

6 intercepting   

截取（技术），截接

参考例句：

• The police had been intercepting my mail, ie reading it before it was delivered. 警方一直截查我的邮件。
• We've been intercepting radio transmissions from Moscow. 我们已从莫斯科拦截到无线电信号。

7 tightens   

收紧( tighten的第三人称单数 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• One set of provisions tightens emission standards. 一套使排放标准更加严格的规定。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Requires no special tools or fittings; hand tightens to relief valve outlet. 不需要专用工具或管件；用手将其紧固到安全阀上即可。

8 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。