VOA标准英语2010年-Towering Arch Marks Gateway to the Wes

Since the 18th century, St. Louis, Missouri has offered travelers a hub to begin their adventures into the western frontier. Its nickname — the "Gateway¹ to the West" — is symbolized² by the towering focal point of the St. Louis skyline: the Gateway Arch. It was all about location. "St. Louis is pretty centrally located in the middle of North America. The arch, itself, is on the Mississippi River, and just about 18 miles (29km) north of here is the Missouri River, which runs all the way out to the Rocky Mountains," say historian Bob Moore. "So being on these river systems enabled St. Louis to be right in the middle of everything that was going on. People used the rivers as much as possible to get from place to place."The city was already a natural stopping point for explorers coming from the Wild West and the bounty³ they were sending to the settled east, like beaver⁴ fur that was used for hats.
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark started their expedition here, when America's third President Thomas Jefferson — one of the founding fathers — sent them to explore land bought from France in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. But why did St. Louis develop on this particular piece of land?
"When the first settlers came there was a cliff face that was right next to the river. And, the only break in that bluff⁵, was just about where the south leg of the arch is today. So, the leg of the arch you see behind me, that's where the break in the bluff was the easiest way to get from the river up to the top of the cliff. Because it's the first place along the river, closest to where the two rivers come together, where a community could be placed and could thrive and not have to worry about being flooded out."Flooding may not have been an issue, but a great fire that started on the riverfront reduced much of old St. Louis to ash in 1849. While the American railroad system eventually lessened⁶ the importance of St. Louis as a trading capital, river transport still plays a role in regional commerce. And while Moore says the city never really bounced back from that economic downturn, it did still attract some modern industries, such as auto⁷ and airplane manufacturing. St. Louis is also home to an American favorite.
"Anheuser Busch is here, a manufacturer of beer going back to the 1800s," says Moore. "Budweiser since 1876, it all started here."In addition to being the home of the world's largest-selling beer company, Moore says St. Louis offers many other amenities⁸ — especially free activities that can be helpful in tough times.
"Our zoo, our history museum, our art museum. Most of our cultural institutions are free of charge. It's wonderful for families because they can just take their kids and it isn't a huge, financial burden." With many public places perfect for families, couples, kids and adults, Moore says there is still one place that visitors absolutely must experience.

1 gateway   

n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法

参考例句：

• Hard work is the gateway to success.努力工作是通往成功之路。
• A man collected tolls at the gateway.一个人在大门口收通行费。

2 symbolized   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• For Tigress, Joy symbolized the best a woman could expect from life. 在她看，小福子就足代表女人所应有的享受。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
• A car symbolized distinction and achievement, and he was proud. 汽车象征着荣誉和成功，所以他很自豪。 来自辞典例句

3 bounty   

n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与

参考例句：

• He is famous for his bounty to the poor.他因对穷人慷慨相助而出名。
• We received a bounty from the government.我们收到政府给予的一笔补助金。

4 beaver   

n.海狸，河狸

参考例句：

• The hat is made of beaver.这顶帽子是海狸毛皮制的。
• A beaver is an animals with big front teeth.海狸是一种长着大门牙的动物。

5 bluff   

v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗

参考例句：

• His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
• John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。

6 lessened   

减少的，减弱的

参考例句：

• Listening to the speech through an interpreter lessened its impact somewhat. 演讲辞通过翻译的嘴说出来，多少削弱了演讲的力量。
• The flight to suburbia lessened the number of middle-class families living within the city. 随着迁往郊外的风行，住在城内的中产家庭减少了。

7 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

8 amenities   

n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快

参考例句：

• The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
• Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》