英语四级读美文【11】

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2024年3月12日发(作者：)

Unit 11 Traffic and Travel交通旅行

Text 1 Train Travel Advertising

A mtrak(美国铁路客运公司) was experiencing a down-slowing in ridership (客运量) along the lines comprising its rail system.

Of major concern to Amtrak and its advertising agency DDB Needham, were the long-distance western routes where ridership

had been declining significantly.

At one time, trains were the only practical way to cross the vast areas of the west. Trains were fast, very luxurious, and quite

convenient compared to other forms of transportation existing at the time. However, times change and the automobile became

America’s standard of convenience. Also, air travel had easily established itself as the fastest method of travelling great distances.

Therefore, the task for DDB Needham was to encourage consumers to consider other aspects of train travel in order to change

their attitudes and increase the likelihood that trains would be considered for travel in the west.

Two portions of the total market were targeted: 1) anxious fliers —those concerned with safety, relaxation, and cleanliness and 2)

travel lovers — those viewing themselves as relaxed, casual, and interested in the travel experience as part of their vacation.

The agency then developed a campaign that focused on travel experiences such as freedom, escape, relaxation, and enjoyment of

the great western outdoors. It stressed experiences gained by using the trains and portrayed(描绘) western train trips as

wonderful adventures.

Advertisements showed pictures of the beautiful scenery that could be enjoyed along some of the more famous western routes

and emphasized the romantic names of some of these trains (Empire Builder, etc.). These ads were strategically placed among

family-oriented TV shows and programs involving nature and America in order to most effectively reach target audiences.

Results were impressive. The Empire Builder which was focused on in one ad. enjoyed a 15 percent increase in profits on its

Chicago to Seattle route.

[A] adventures [B] campaign [C] comprising [D] declining [E] impressive [F] portions [G] profits [H] relaxed [I] romantic [J]

scenery [K] transportation

铁路旅行广告

美国铁路客运公司铁路系统所管辖的各条线路的客运量都在下降，而最令美国铁路客运公司及其广告代理DDB尼达姆

焦虑的就是其西部长途线路客运量的明显下降。

铁路曾经是穿越西部广大地区的惟一的交通方式，同当时的其他交通工具相比，火车速度快、豪华而且舒适。然而时代

不同了，汽车在美国成了更加便利的交通工具；而且，飞机很容易就确立了作为长距离旅行最快的交通工具的地位。因

此，DDB尼达姆的任务就是鼓励消费者考虑乘坐火车旅行的其他好处，从而改变人们的态度，增加他们在西部旅行时选

择火车的可能性。

他们从整个市场中选定两部分人：一部分是对飞行焦虑的人，他们关心安全、舒适和卫生；另一部分是旅游爱好者，他

们愿意非常放松、随意，把旅行过程当作整个假期的一部分。随后代理处发起了一场以自由、逃避压力、松弛和享受西

部户外景色等旅行体验为中心的运动。强调乘坐火车旅行得到的各种体验，并且把在西部乘火车旅行描绘成奇妙的历险。

广告展出了许多在一些比较有名的西部路线上可以欣赏到的美丽风光的照片，并且突出一些火车的浪漫名称，如“帝国开

拓者”等等。这些广告都很有策略地安排在适合全家人观看的电视剧和有关自然与美国的节目中，以期最为有效地接触到

目标观众。结果令人印象深刻，比如在一则广告中被重点介绍的“帝国开拓者”，从芝加哥到西雅图线路的利润增加了15

个百分点。

难 句 解 析

1. Therefore, the task for DDB Needham was to encourage consumers to consider other aspects of train travel in order to change

their attitudes and increase the likelihood that trains would be considered for travel in the west.

【分析】复合句。句中was后面为不定式作表语，其中in order to引导两个并列关系的短语表目的，其中that引导定语

从句 修饰 the likelihood。

2. The agency then developed a campaign that focused on travel experiences such as freedom, escape, relaxation, and enjoyment

of the great western outdoors.

【分析】复合句。that 引导定语从句修饰 campaign，such as后四个词语并列，of the great western outdoors 作后置定语

修饰enjoyment。

3. Advertisements showed pictures of the beautiful scenery that could be enjoyed along some of the more famous western routes

and emphasized the romantic names of some of these trains(Empire Builder, etc.).

【分析】并列复合句。第一个分句中 of the beautiful scenery 为后置定语，修饰 pictures，that 引导的定语从句修饰 the

beautiful scenery。第二个分句中 of some of these trains 为后置定语，修饰 the romantic names。

下面我们学习文中标红的高频词#09#09高频词汇

comprise*

/k5m9praIz/ @@ vt. 构成，组成；包含，包括

【联想】com(共同) ＋ prise(奖赏) →奖赏包含大家的努力→ 包含

【引申】〈同义〉consist of 由…组成｜contain vt. 包含，容纳｜include vt. 包括，包含｜involve vt. 包含，含有

【活用例句】Women comprise a high proportion of part-time workers. 兼职工人中妇女占绝大部分。

decline*

/dI9klaIn/ @@ n. & vi. 下降，减少；衰退 v. 谢绝，拒绝

【联想】谢绝(decline)背我过斜坡(incline)

【搭配】a rapid decline 迅速下降；decline in profits 利润减少；on the decline在消减，在衰退；decline an invitation 谢绝

邀请

【引申】〈同义〉weaken v. (使)变弱，(使)减弱

【活用例句】I offered to give them a lift but they declined. 我主动邀请他们搭车，但他们婉言谢绝了。/Industry in Britain has

been in decline since the 1970s. 英国工业自 20 世纪 70 年代以来一直在走下坡路。

transportation

/8tr{nspO:9teISFn/ @@ n. 运输，运输系统，运输工具

【引申】〈同根〉transport vt. 运输 n. 运输系统，运输工具

【听力例句】Transportation in the future won’t be limited to the ground；many people predict that traffic will quickly move to

the sky.将来的交通将不仅仅限于在地上，很多人预言说交通将很快可以移到天空。[05.6]

portion*

/9pO:SFn/ @@ n. 一部分；一份

【联想】port(看作 part 部分) ＋ ion →一部分

【引申】〈同义〉part n. 一部分

【听力例句】They are a small portion of the prison population. 他们是监狱里总人数的一小部分。[02.1]

同义↓

proportion*

/pr59pO:SFn/ @@ n. 比例，部分；均衡，相称

【词根】pro(许多) ＋ portion(一部分)→按比例分成小份→比例，部分

【短语】in 按照…的比例，与…成比例

【活用例句】When carbon is added to iron in proper proportions the result is steel. 往铁中加入适量的碳，铁就会变成钢。

派生↓

proportional

/pr59pO:SFnl/ @@ a. (to)比例的，成比例的

【词根】来自proportion(比例) ＋ al(…的)→成比例的

【听力例句】So the figures for the growth of towns and cities represent proportional growth of unemployment and

underemployment, a growth in the number of hopeless and despairing parents and starving children.因此，满足不断壮大的城市

和城镇需要的人口数量的增长，相应地代表着失业人口、未充分就业人口、绝望的双亲和饥饿的孩子的数量的增长。

[07.12]

relaxed

a. 放松的；轻松自在的，悠闲的

【搭配】a relaxed atmosphere 无拘无束的气氛

【引申】〈同根〉relaxation n. 松弛，缓和

【听力例句】A pickpocket needs targets who are relaxed and off guard.扒手行窃的目标是那些放松的和没有警觉的人。[04.1]

campaign*

/k{m9peIn/ @@ n. (政治或商业性)活动，运动；战役 vi. 参加(或发起)运动，参加竞选

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