|
{{B}}Stinking (发臭的)
Buses{{/B}} Stinking buses jam(挤满) the crowded street. Drivers{{U}} (51) {{/U}}at one another and honk(鸣喇叭)their horns. Smog(烟雾)hurts the eyes and chokes(窒息) the senses. The{{U}} (52) {{/U}}is Athens at rush hour. The city is in a sorry state of affairs, built{{U}} (53) {{/U}}a plan, lacking even adequate sewerage facilities (排水设施) ,its 135 square miles packed with 3.7 million people. So great has been the population flow toward the city that neighboring villages stand {{U}}(54) {{/U}}or nearly so. About 120,000 people from distant provinces move to Athens every year. The migrants come for the few available{{U}} (55) {{/U}}. Because of migration, Athens by the year 2000 will have a population of 6.5 million, more than half the nation. Aside from overcrowding and poor public transport, the biggest{{U}} (56) {{/U}}facing Athenians are noise and pollution. A government study{{U}} (57) {{/U}}that Athens was the noisiest city in the world. Smog is almost at killing levels: up to four times the level that the World Health Organization considers safe. Nearly half the pollution comes from cars.{{U}} (58) {{/U}}high prices for vehicles and fuel, nearly 100,000 automobiles are sold in Greece each year: 3,000 drivers' licenses are {{U}}(59) {{/U}}in Athens monthly. After decades of neglect, Athens is at{{U}} (60) {{/U}}getting some attention. In March a government meeting was held to discuss a plan to make the city{{U}} (61) {{/U}}and clean up its environment. A save-Athens ministry will propose heavy taxes to{{U}} (62) {{/U}}immigration and a minimum of ＄5 billion in public spending for Athens alone. A master plan that will move many government offices to the city's{{U}} (63) {{/U}}is already in the works. Meanwhile, more Greeks{{U}} (64) {{/U}}moving into Athens. With few parks and few oxygen-producing plants, the city and its citizens are{{U}} (65) {{/U}} suffocating(窒息). |