Using English at Work：03 Arriving at Work(3)

Many businesses have key cards instead of the normal metal key to get into rooms or buildings.

In this case, the key card lets me pass through the security¹ gates.

A "card reader" is a machine that electronically "reads" the key card and decides whether a person should be allowed to do something.

The card reader is able to look at the electronic information on the card and determine if I should be let in (if I can go in or not).

We use card readers for many things; when you buy food or groceries with a credit² card, in many American supermarkets you have to put your credit card into or through a card reader at the store.

When I put my key card into the card reader at work, the security arm goes up.

A "security arm" is a long, heavy metal or wood bar that blocks a road, but it can be moved up to let people drive by if they have permission. So, it's a kind of security gate.

In the movies, bad people sometimes drive quickly so that their cars will break through the security arms, but in usual life we usually wait for the guard or the machine to lift the security arm and let us drive into the parking lot.

Next I drive into the parking structure.

A "parking structure" is a large concrete building with many floors (or levels) for cars to park on.

Large cities have many parking structures because there are many cars that need to park on a small piece of land.

Many people don't like parking structures, because it's difficult to find your car if you forget which floor (or level) you are parked on. I do this all the time!

I drive into the parking structure and I find a parking spot.

A "parking spot" is a place for one car to be parked; it's usually marked with white or yellow painted lines.

1 security   

n.安全，安全感；防护措施；保证(金)，抵押(品)；债券，证券

参考例句：

• A security guard brought him down with a flying tackle.一名保安人员飞身把他抱倒。
• There was tight security at the airport when the President's plane landed.总统的专机降落时，机场的保安措施很严密。

2 credit   

n.信用，荣誉，贷款，学分；v.归功于，赞颂，信任

参考例句：

• I credit him with a certain amount of sense.我认为他有一定的见识。
• He got the credit,and we did the dirty work.他得荣誉，我们做不讨好的工作。