VOA标准英语2012--US State Might Sell Naming Rights for Roads

US State Might Sell Naming Rights for Roads

 

All but the tiniest of roads have to have names so they can be located on a map, and so people can ask directions to them. Bridges less so, but Americans name a lot of them, too.

Very often these arteries¹ carry an obvious geographical² reference - the Pennsylvania Turnpike, for instance.

Or, like the George Washington Bridge, roads and bridges and tunnels are named for famous historical figures or fallen military or law-enforcement officers.

We make a big deal out of naming things, as when someone decided³ to name an airport after a former U.S. Supreme⁴ Court justice.

So now we have the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Many, if not most, of our college buildings are named for wealthy people who gave a lot of money to the schools. And our sports arenas⁵ and stadiums took this idea a step further.

Corporations paid a whole lot of money for what’s called the “naming rights” to U.S. Cellular⁶ Field in Chicago, for instance, and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Now the governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, wants to sell naming rights to roads, bridges, and intersections⁷ in the state.

He says not just companies, but also wealthy individuals, would help the cash-strapped Virginia transportation budget by paying to have their names - or perhaps those of loved ones - placed on roads and bridges, and thus on maps as well.

The reaction has been mixed. Supporters say Americans are used to having things sponsored and wouldn’t mind a bit traveling on the Coke Zero Expressway across the Nationwide Insurance Bridge out into the Virginia countryside.

Others mock the idea as the next step in the “corporatization of America.” They wonder how far such an idea might spread, and where it would end: at the Burger King Pacific Ocean, perhaps.

1 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 geographical   

adj.地理的；地区(性)的

参考例句：

• The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。
• These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

5 arenas   

表演场地( arena的名词复数 )； 竞技场； 活动或斗争的场所或场面； 圆形运动场

参考例句：

• Demolition derbies are large-scale automobile rodeos that take place in big arenas. 撞车比赛指的是在很大的竞技场上举行的大型汽车驾驶技术表演。
• Are there areas of privacy in the most public of arenas? 在绝大部分公开的场合中存在需要保护隐私的领域吗？

6 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

7 intersections   

n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集

参考例句：

• Traffic lights have been placed at all major intersections. 所有重要的交叉路口都安装了交通信号灯。
• Intersections are of the greatest importance in highway design. 在道路设计中，交叉口占有最重要的地位。 来自辞典例句