听播客学英语 229 竹篙巷

 　　In Liverpool, there is a street called Penny Lane. Why is it called Penny Lane? Perhaps the name comes from the penny coin – nowdays the smallest coin used in Britain. Perhaps there were shops on Penny Lane which sold cheap things, things which cost only a penny.

　　Wrong. Penny Lane is named after John Penny. John Penny was a merchant in Liverpool in the 18th century. He became rich and famous. But he made his fortune in the infamous¹ business of slave trading. Ships owned by John Penny carried black slaves from Africa to work on the plantations² of America and the West Indies.

　　Recently, Liverpool City Council said that it wanted to change the name of Penny Lane, and also of some other streets in the city which are named after slave traders. It says that it is not right to commemorate³ people who made money in such a wicked way.

　　But there was a public outcry. Here’s why.

　　Yes – that was the Beatles, the Fab Four. They recorded their hit song Penny Lane in 1967. It tells about the people who live and work on Penny Lane – the barber who has photographs of his customers’ heads; the fireman polishing his fire engine. (There is a link from the website to the words of the song – or “the lyrics” as people in the pop music business say). Penny Lane is a song about a gentler and more innocent world, where the skies are blue and there are no bombs on trains. Perhaps that is why it is still so popular.

　　Two of the Beatles – John Lennon and Paul McCartney – grew up in the area around Penny Lane. Today the area is popular with students, and with tourists who take bus tours of the Beatles sites in Liverpool. Liverpool Council have changed their mind. Penny Lane will stay Penny Lane.

　　Vocabulary notes:

　　Note the expressions “the name comes from…” and “it is named after…”. In America, many people say “it is named for..” instead of “it is named after…”

　　A barber is a men’s hairdresser. Originally a barber shaved men as well as cutting their hair.

1 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

2 plantations   

n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句

3 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。