VOA标准英语2012--Olympic Games Hurt Business in London
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2012年(八月)
Olympic Games Hurt Business in London
The street performers at London’s Covent Garden can still draw a crowd. But in the middle of the summer tourist season, those crowds are smaller than usual.
And the nearby market seems almost empty compared to the throngs 1 that usually make it difficult just to walk around.
Longtime vendors 3 say warnings about traffic and crowds have worked too well, scaring non-Olympics visitors away and convincing many Londoners to go on vacation.
"We all thought we were going to be increasing during the Olympic period. There’s been a decrease. Yeah, a bit disappointing so far. We’ll see what happens next week,” said jeweler Gary Holder 4.
“They're coming to see the Olympics. They’re going to the Games, enjoying the games. But I don’t think they’re coming to Covent Garden to shop," said vendor 2 Sarah Swales. She said her profits from last week to this week were "like half the profit, so it’s drastically dropped, yeah.”
And it’s not just Covent Garden that is suffering. All the businesses that depend on tourism are in unexpected Olympics doldrums. Around London’s West End, hotels, restaurants and shops report that sales are down from their normal level, and sharply down from expectations for the Olympics summer. The taxi drivers’ association head calls London a “ghost town.”
Theater managers won’t even talk to reporters about the situation. Owners say business is down as much as 30 percent, and on one recent evening only a handful of people were waiting to buy tickets, even at half-price.
But at Covent Garden, Charlie Chaplin tramp impersonator Diego Spano was as accepting of life’s setbacks as his character is. “I carry on with my show, making people laugh around the world. So, some days it’s bad, some days it’s good. This week was bad here, but I don’t care, to be honest,” he said.
Officials still hope the publicity 5 generated by the Olympics will help the economy of London, and all of Britain, in the long term. But for now, the support of the relatively 6 few but hugely appreciative 7 visitors will have to suffice.
- She muscled through the throngs of people, frantically searching for David. 她使劲挤过人群，拼命寻找戴维。 来自辞典例句
- Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the Bridge. 我们这两位朋友在桥上从人群中穿过，慢慢地往前走。 来自辞典例句
- She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
- He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。
- The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
- At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
- The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
- That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。
- The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
- He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。
- The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
- The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
- She was deeply appreciative of your help.她对你的帮助深表感激。
- We are very appreciative of their support in this respect.我们十分感谢他们在这方面的支持。