新托福閱讀材料：英國(guó)城市爭(zhēng)當(dāng)“拉斯維加斯”

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新托福閱讀材料：英國(guó)城市爭(zhēng)當(dāng)“拉斯維加斯”

美國(guó)的拉斯維加斯賭城舉世聞名，這座賭城每年都為美國(guó)旅游業(yè)貢獻(xiàn)大筆收入，也帶來(lái)了許多就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)。而近期，英國(guó)政府也計(jì)劃在境內(nèi)選取一座城市新建大型賭場(chǎng)，這引起了英國(guó)各大城市的激烈競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。

英國(guó)各城市為修建國(guó)內(nèi)唯一一座拉斯維加斯式超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)的爭(zhēng)奪，正變得撲朔迷離。負(fù)責(zé)選址工作的機(jī)構(gòu)目前已收到逾40份申請(qǐng)，而該機(jī)構(gòu)負(fù)責(zé)人表示，他不知該如何從中選擇。

The scramble to house the UK’s only Las Vegas-style super casino is turning into a lottery. The body set to up to decide its location has already received more than 40 applications and its head says he does not know how to chose between them.

英國(guó)政府賭場(chǎng)顧問(wèn)小組(Casino Advisory Panel)負(fù)責(zé)人斯蒂芬·克羅(Stephen Crow)教授表示，在評(píng)估這些申請(qǐng)的時(shí)候，“公平和嚴(yán)格審查是我們的口號(hào)”。但是，當(dāng)被問(wèn)及如何選擇的時(shí)候，他說(shuō)：“我們?cè)趺聪聸Q定?我不知道。”

Professor Stephen Crow, head of the government’s Casino Advisory Panel, said “fairness and rigorous examination will be our watchwords” when assessing the applications. But when asked how he would choose, he said: “How are we going to make up our minds? I don’t know.”

由于申請(qǐng)截止日期是3月31日，預(yù)計(jì)還會(huì)有更多城市表示有意讓超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)落戶。在所有申請(qǐng)城市中，布萊克浦提出了一個(gè)圍繞超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)的全城重建計(jì)劃，成為奪標(biāo)大熱門。

With the deadline for applications not until March 31 more authorities are expected to register interest in having a super casino. Blackpool is the favourite to win the licence, having made a super casino the cornerstone of a city-wide regeneration programme.

然而，倫敦也有希望贏得這張牌照。該市擬在新的溫布利體育場(chǎng)(Wembley)和千禧穹頂(Millennium Dome)修建超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)。

However, London is also hopeful of winning the licence, with super casinos planned at the new Wembley stadium and next to the Millennium Dome.

英國(guó)政府去年通過(guò)了頗受爭(zhēng)議的新賭博法，僅允許成立一家超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)。此外還將發(fā)放8張中型賭場(chǎng)和8張大型賭場(chǎng)的牌照。

Under the government’s controversial new gambling laws, which were passed last year, only one super casino will be allowed. An additional eight medium-sized new casinos and eight large ones will also receive licences.

在一次社會(huì)市場(chǎng)基金會(huì)(Social Market Foundation)的研討會(huì)上，克羅向包括數(shù)家美國(guó)賭場(chǎng)經(jīng)營(yíng)者在內(nèi)的聽(tīng)眾表示，多數(shù)地方當(dāng)局僅對(duì)超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)感興趣。他稱：“他們對(duì)大型或小型賭場(chǎng)的興趣沒(méi)有那么大?！?

Speaking at a Social Market Foundation seminar to an audience that included several US casino operators, Professor Crow said most local authorities were only interested in super casinos. “They are not so interested in the large or small ones,” he said.

英國(guó)政府原本打算發(fā)放8張超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)牌照，但經(jīng)過(guò)去年大選前與保守黨的緊張談判后，政府被迫將超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)牌照數(shù)量減至一張。

The government originally intended to grant eight super casino licences but was forced to cut the number to one after tense negotiations with the Conservatives in the run-up to the last general election.

英國(guó)體育大臣理查德·卡本(Richard Caborn)最近表示，如果能獲得地方當(dāng)局、議會(huì)下院議員及公眾的足夠支持，政府有可能修訂相關(guān)立法，增加超級(jí)賭場(chǎng)牌照的數(shù)量。

Richard Caborn, gambling minister, said recently the legislation could be revisited and the number of super casino licences increased – provided there was sufficient support from local authorities, MPs and the public. 

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