VOA慢速英语--佛罗里达受欢迎的主题公园正在考虑如何重新开放

The American state of Florida has some of the most-visited theme parks in the world. Millions of people go there for vacation every year.

Florida's theme parks are among the biggest economic engines in the state. But the parks have closed because of the coronavirus crisis¹. Thousands of workers have been told to stay at home and are not being paid.

Theme park operators² are now weighing the issue of public safety and business interests as they try to decide when to reopen.

John Sprouls is the chief administrative³ officer for Universal Orlando Resort⁴, which includes Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Island Adventure. He told The Associated Press (AP) he has many teams working on when and how to open the theme parks to visitors.

Sprouls spoke⁵ after three days of meetings with Florida Governor⁶ Ron DeSantis's Reopen Florida Task Force. The governor appointed a group of industry representatives, education leaders and government officials to the task force. He has asked them to decide on the best way to reopen the state for business.

The task force's members have been exchanging ideas through telephone conference calls. The AP said the meetings were generally lacking in specific details.

DeSantis announced recently that Florida had "flattened⁷ the curve⁸" in its fight against the coronavirus. That expression describes efforts to reduce the sharp increase in infections through hand washing, social distancing and staying at home.

Speaking to a working group on agriculture and healthcare, the governor said Florida had comparatively fewer hospital stays and deaths than states in the Northeast.

"People were talking about Florida being the next Italy or New York," DeSantis said.

Universal's Sprouls spoke at a working group dealing⁹ with tourism and the state's other major industries. He said Florida's theme parks will have to reopen with small, limited crowds. He noted¹⁰ that fully¹¹ reopening the parks could take time. He also said that any decision would be guided by state and local officials and by health considerations.

The Themed Entertainment Association¹² reports that about 85 million people visited theme parks in and around Orlando and the city of Tampa in 2018. Those are the latest numbers available.

Under normal conditions, theme parks are not just fun rides, but hotels, eateries, stores and television and film production centers. All these activities and businesses have different requirements to operate safely in order to contain the virus.

For example, long lines form as people wait around to get on theme park rides. This makes enforcement¹³ of social distancing guidelines¹⁴ difficult. Sprouls has suggested that, for a time, every other seat on rides might be left open to increase the space between people. However, questions such as how often rides will be cleaned remain.

The closure of central Florida's theme parks has temporarily left tens of thousands of workers without a job. Disney World recently began furloughing 43,000 workers.

Sea World has done the same with 95 percent of its workers in more than 10 major parks it operates across the United States. Sea World also recently announced that it is losing $25 million a month because of the closure. However, the company said it can find enough money to survive until the end of 2021 under current conditions.

Words in This Story

theme park – n. a business that offers a mix of activities, such as rides and games, in addition to shows and other events.

specific – adj. clearly identified or defined¹⁵

tourism – n. describing the activity of traveling to a place for pleasure; the business of providing services to people on such trips

furlough(ing) – v. a temporary dismissal or release from a place of employment

1 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

2 operators   

n.（某企业的）经营者( operator的名词复数 )；（机器、设备等的）操作员；电话接线员；投机取巧者

参考例句：

• A plethora of new operators will be allowed to enter the market. 大批新的运营商将获准进入该市场。 来自辞典例句
• Green house operators have considerable opportunity for precise manipulation of nutrients. 温室管理员有很多机会来准确控制养分。 来自辞典例句

3 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

4 resort   

n.凭借，手段，常去之地，胜地；vi.求助，诉诸，采取（某种手段等），常去

参考例句：

• He couldn't have passed the exam without resort to cheating.他要不是靠作弊是通不过这次考试的。
• Beidaihe is noted for its summer resort.北戴河以避暑胜地而著称。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 governor   

n.统治者，地方长官(如省长，州长，总督等)

参考例句：

• The governor was an expert at fencing with reporters.这位州长是搪塞新闻记者的能手。
• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。

7 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。

8 curve   

n.曲线，弯曲，曲球；v.弯，使...弯曲

参考例句：

• The train slowed its speed as it went around the curve.火车在弯道行驶时放慢了速度。
• The path of an arrow is a curve.箭的轨迹是一条曲线。

9 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

12 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

13 enforcement   

n.实施, 执行

参考例句：

• MPs called for tougher enforcement of the existing laws on drugs. 下院议员呼籲加强现行毒品法律的执行力度。
• The court is ineffective because it lacks the necessary enforcement machinery. 法院效率低是因为缺乏必要的执行机制。

14 guidelines   

n.指导方针，准则

参考例句：

• The government has drawn up guidelines on the treatment of the mentally ill. 政府制订了对待精神病人的指导方针。
• Planners seem a little uncomfortable with the current government guidelines. 规划师似乎不太接受现行的政府指道方针。

15 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。