VOA常速英语2008年-Moscow's Changing Skyline Sign of Nation's Oil-

By Anya Ardayeva
Moscow
23 April 2008
 

There are more billionaires living in Moscow these days than anywhere else in the world. Thanks to a booming economy fueled by record high oil prices, the Russian capital is awash in cash. Modern new buildings are rising all over the city, and they are transforming Moscow's look, making some Muscovites worry about the architectural heritage of their city. Anya Ardayeva reports from Moscow.

This is the Moscow of the 21st century - apartments, casinos, business centers - a luxurious¹ new face for a city founded nearly 900 years ago.

Behind this tower, another one will emerge soon. The east tower of the Federation² Tower complex will be 503 meters high with 93 floors, and an elevator that moves at 64 kilometers an hour. Tens of thousands of Chinese workers came here to work on the project. The tower will be the highest in Europe.

Ara Aramyan is vice³ president of the company that is building the complex. He says skyscrapers⁴ like this are about  power. "Wherever the country becomes more or less powerful, rich, the growing countries try to do skyscrapers. You can find it in history in Egypt, you can find it in Babylon. So it's kind of instinct, mankind's instinct try to go to the stars," Aramyan said.

But money matters, too. Going up to the stars is costly⁵. The smallest apartment here, 100 square meters, costs more than $3 million - that is 470 years of the Russian average wage.

But that does not seem to be a problem - the place is sold out. Residential⁶ property prices have gone up 400 percent in the last six years.

Architect Nikolai Milovidov says investors⁷ rush new new towers. At one, every third apartment is empty.  "The customers of all this residential property -- they are not from Moscow, they are from gas and oil regions, they never live here, they just buy meters [of space] in Moscow," he said.

Not so long ago, many families in Moscow shared gloomy communal⁸ apartments. This recent property boom is a clear demonstration⁹ of Russia's economic growth and the emergence¹⁰ of a middle class.

But to build all this new property, the city needs to clear the space first, and it makes some Muscovites worry about the architectural heritage of the city.

"In the last few years, starting from the year 2000, some 200-300 historic buildings were destroyed every year," explains arts critic Marina Khrustalyova. "It's clear that in the next 10 years they can destroy everything, including the Kremlin."

There are no plans to touch the Kremlin - the traditional symbol of power in Russia. But in 2009, the postcard view of the Russian capital will change. Along with the red stars of the ancient fortress¹¹, the view will include the lights of the massive Federation Tower - the new, financial symbol of Russia.

1 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

2 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 skyscrapers   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
• On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

7 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

8 communal   

adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的

参考例句：

• There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。
• The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。

9 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

10 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

11 fortress   

n.堡垒，防御工事

参考例句：

• They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
• The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。