二、英國車速監(jiān)控系統(tǒng)

　　The Treasury could pocket 20 million a year in extra fines once the country‘s speed camera network is expanded. Motoring organizations warned that the __1__could become a poll tax on wheels’，__2__huge number of drivers. There could be many more incidents of vandalism __3__cameras.The warnings came__4__a Daily Mail survey found almost all the 23 police forces in England and Wales were either__5__to expansion plans or considering __6__.

　　Nationwide，the number of speeding tickets is expected to treble，__7__ 90 million a year.__8__the scheme，police keep some of the cash from fines to __9__the costs of fitting and maintaining extra cameras and__10__that existing ones always have film in them. The rest will go to the Treasury. Both Ministers and police insist the scheme is aimed__11__at making roads safer. They point to trials in eight areas which cut collisions by a quarter and deaths and serious injuries by __12__a half.

　　But motoring organizations fear cameras will be sited on relatively safe__13__fast stretches to catch as many drivers as possible. Some forces are also expected to__14__the“threshold”speeds at which cameras are__15__to the absolute legal minimum-15 mph in a 10 mph limit，and 26 mph in a 20 mph zone. This could encourage drivers to stare at their speedometers instead of concentrating on the road，and __16__to more accidents. Sue Nicholson，head of campaigns at the RAC，said，“We don‘t have a problem with speed cameras __17__. But we do have concerns about__18__they are sited. Police risk losing credibility __19__motorists if cameras are seen as revenue-raising __20__safety devices.”

　　1. [A] promotions [B] punishments [C] penalties [D] payments

　　2. [A] isolating [B] separating [C] alienating [D] detaching

　　3. [A] towards [B] against [C] before [D] over

　　4. [A] so [B] once [C] as [D] where

　　5. [A] subjected [B] engaged [C] intended [D] committed

　　6. [A] taking part [B] keeping silence [C] making exception [D] paying respect

　　7. [A] financing [B] profiting [C] funding [D] netting

　　8. [A] From [B] Under [C] On [D] With

　　9. [A] hide [B] cover [C] conceal [D] veil

　　10. [A] pledging [B] assuring [C] confirming [D] ensuring

　　11. [A] essentially [B] strongly [C] wholeheartedly [D] purely

　　12. [A] in all [B] fewer than [C] at most [D] up to

　　13. [A] but [B] whereas [C] though [D] while

　　14. [A] fit [B] put [C] set [D] fix

　　15. [A] levered [B] geared [C] handled [D] triggered

　　16. [A] lead [B] add [C] contribute [D] resort

　　17. [A] any less [B] by itself [C] after all [D] as such

　　18. [A] who [B] when [C] where [D] which

　　19. [A] in [B] with [C] against [D] for

　　20. [A] in spite of [B] far from [C] rather than [D] by means of

　　答案

　　1. C 2. C 3. B 4. C 5. D 6. A 7. D 8. B 9.B 10. D

　　11. D 12.D 13. A 14. C 15. B 16. A 17. D 18. C 19.B 20.C

　　總體分析

　　本文講述了英國車速監(jiān)控?cái)z像體系擴(kuò)張計(jì)劃的內(nèi)容及影響，著重闡述了這一計(jì)劃的支持者(警察和財(cái)政部門)和反對者(機(jī)動(dòng)車管理機(jī)構(gòu))的觀點(diǎn)。

　　全文翻譯

　　一旦擴(kuò)大車速監(jiān)控?cái)z像體系，這個(gè)國家財(cái)政部每年就能從罰款中額外增加2000萬收入。機(jī)動(dòng)車管理機(jī)構(gòu)警告說這種罰款可能變成對汽車征收的人頭稅，從而疏遠(yuǎn)很多駕駛者。也可能出現(xiàn)更多破壞攝像機(jī)的事件。警告出現(xiàn)的同時(shí)，《每日郵報(bào)》的調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)英格蘭和威爾士的23支警力幾乎都有所行動(dòng)，不是致力于部署監(jiān)控體系的擴(kuò)張計(jì)劃，就是在考慮加入其中。

　　預(yù)計(jì)(在實(shí)施監(jiān)控系統(tǒng)后)全國范圍內(nèi)違章超速行駛的罰單數(shù)量會增加兩倍，罰金數(shù)目一年達(dá)9000萬。按照計(jì)劃，警察保留一部分罰金用以支付安裝和維修新攝像機(jī)的費(fèi)用，并且保證現(xiàn)有的攝像機(jī)中總是裝有膠卷。其余的罰金將上繳財(cái)政部。財(cái)政部長們和警察都堅(jiān)持認(rèn)為該計(jì)劃的目的是提高公路的安全性。他們指出八個(gè)試點(diǎn)地區(qū)撞車事故減少了四分之一，嚴(yán)重傷亡事故減少至一半。

　　但是機(jī)動(dòng)車管理機(jī)構(gòu)擔(dān)心警察為了多開罰單會把攝像機(jī)裝在相對安全但行車速度較快的直行道上，還會為車速監(jiān)控?cái)z像機(jī)設(shè)置最低合法車速標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，如把正常的每小時(shí)10英里限速提高到每小時(shí)15英里，每小時(shí)20英里限速提高到每小時(shí)26英里。這樣做會使司機(jī)盯著自己的里程計(jì)而不把精力集中到路面上，從而引發(fā)更多的交通事故。英國皇家汽車俱樂部(RAC)活動(dòng)負(fù)責(zé)人休。尼科爾森說，“嚴(yán)格上說，我們對車速監(jiān)控?cái)z像機(jī)并無意見，我們擔(dān)憂的是它們被安放的地點(diǎn)。如果把監(jiān)控?cái)z像機(jī)視為(政府)聚斂財(cái)政收入的手段而不是安全設(shè)施，那么警察就可能喪失他們在駕駛者心目中的威信”。