正文
The parable of York, a place that does not want to grow
约克寓言：一个自愿“躺平”的地方
Last December York City Council considered a proposal to demolish a Mecca bingo hall and replace it with student housing. The building was acknowledged to be architecturally undistinguished. It was also unused.
去年 12 月，约克市政厅审议了一项提案，提案要求对 Mecca bingo 大楼进行拆除，并将其改为学生公寓。人们认为该大楼在建筑造型上毫无特色；在使用上也处于闲置状态。
Still, some councillors objected. One argued that the bingo hall was "clearly a cultural facility, if not institution". The council eventually approved the plans. But the eruption of controversy over the redevelopment of an ugly, defunct building is pure York.
然而对此，一些议员表示反对。有人认为 bingo 大楼“即使算不上个什么重要机构，显然也算得上个文化设施”。最终，市政厅通过了这项提案。不过，对这个废弃丑建筑的再开发问题所引发的争议，也折射出了约克的真实现状。
York is a small city of 211,000 inhabitants with a lovely, largely medieval centre. Taking an average of the past five years, 50% of residents are estimated to have a post-secondary qualification. The city could be a powerful engine of the northern English economy. But it does not want to be.
约克，是一个有着 21.1 万居民的小城市，城市中心迷人可爱，散发着浓浓的中世纪气息。从过去 5 年的平均值来看，这里估计有 50% 的居民拥有大专以上学历。约克本能成为英国北部经济的一个强大引擎；然而，它并不想成为这样的存在。
York has surrounded itself with an enormous green belt, eight times as large as the built-up area of the city, which prevents suburban sprawl. It cannot grow upwards, partly because planners do not want to block views of the cathedral.
约克周边环绕着一片巨大的绿化带，其面积相当于城市建成区的八倍，绿化带会防止郊区向外无序扩张。同时，城市建筑也不能向上建，部分原因是城市规划者不希望建筑遮挡到约克大教堂。
The council does worry that York loses too many graduates, who push off because they cannot find entry-level homes or highly skilled work. But the truth is that the established residents of York are doing fine. Desirability and limited construction help explain a ratio of median home prices to earnings of 8.8.
市政府也的确担心约克流失了太多毕业生，他们因为无法找到入门价的住房和高技能型的工作而选择离开。不过，现实情况是约克当地的老住户们过得还不错；这里平均房价与平均收入的比例达 8.8，人们的购房意愿以及当地对房屋建设的限制导致了这一结果。
"Your average person in York who owns a house is quids in," says Philip McCann of the University of Sheffield. York's refusal to grow harms its residents less than the people who cannot afford to move there.
“在约克，有房子的普通人就拥有了财富密码，”谢菲尔德大学的菲利普·麦肯这样说道。约克拒绝发展，对当地居民的伤害要小于对那些没有能力搬到这里的人的。
主编：思瑶、李李亚
品控：思瑶、Jodie
审核：Lucky
重点词汇
parable
/ˈper.ə.bəl/
n.（尤指《圣经》中的）寓言故事
英文释义：a short simple story which teaches or explains an idea, especially a moral or religious idea
demolish
/dɪˈmɑː.lɪʃ/
v. 拆毁，拆除（建筑物）；（意外）毁坏，破坏；推翻，驳倒（观点、理论）
例句：The house was demolished to make way for the shopping center.
近义词组：pull / knock down（拆毁，拆除）
英文释义：to destroy something accidentally
例句：Both of the cars were demolished in the accident.
搭配短语：to demolish one's argument
undistinguished
/ˌʌndɪsˈtɪŋgwɪʃt/
adj. 没有特点的，平庸平凡的
相关词汇：distinguish（v. 识别，区分；使区别于，使具备……特征）
搭配短语：to distinguish reality from fantasy（识别，区分）
例句：The thing that distinguishes the product from the competition is customer service.（使具备……特征）
相关词汇：distinguished（adj. 有特点的，脱颖而出的；杰出的，著名的）
搭配短语：a distinguished director
搭配短语：an undistinguished career
institution
/ˌɪn.stəˈtuː.ʃən/
n. 对国民生活有重要作用的机构（如银行、教会、议会等）；组织，机构
英文释义：an established official organization having an important role in the life of a country
defunct
/dɪˈfʌŋkt/
adj. 不再起作用的，不再使用的
词根词缀：de-（表示“相反的动作，除去……”）
相关词汇：defrost（v. 除霜）；decontrol（v. 解除控制）
相关词汇：function（v. 起作用，运转）
搭配短语：defunct satellites
搭配短语：a defunct nuclear reactor
pure
/pjʊr/
adj. 完全的，十足的；纯粹的，纯洁的
英文释义：complete or total
例句：She laughed with pure joy.
搭配短语：by pure chance
medieval
/ˌmed.iˈiː.vəl/
adj. 中世纪的，与中世纪有关的
文化补充：中世纪（Medieval Times / Ages）指公元 5 世纪后期到公元 15 世纪中期的那段时期；它始于公元 476 年西罗马帝国的灭亡，终于公元 1453 年东罗马帝国的灭亡。
post-secondary
/ˌpoʊst ˈsek.ən.der.i/
adj. 中等教育后的
相关词汇：secondary school（中等学校，中学）
词根词缀：post-（表示“在……之后”）
相关词汇：postgraduate（n. 研究生）
qualification
/ˌkwɑː.lə.fəˈkeɪ.ʃən/
n. 资格，学历，文凭
相关词汇：qualify（v. 取得资格，达到标准）
例句：He has just qualified as a lawyer.
搭配短语：educational qualifications
surround oneself with …
环绕，围绕
相关词汇：surround（v. 环绕，围绕）
搭配短语：to be surrounded by / with sth.
例句：The lake is surrounded by / with trees.
built-up area
建成区，楼房密集区
相关词汇：built-up（adj. 楼房密集的，高楼林立的）
sprawl
/sprɑːl/
n.（杂乱无序地）扩展，蔓延
词性拓展：sprawl（v. 四肢摊开地坐、躺；（杂乱无序地）延伸，扩展）
例句：He sprawled on the sofa after getting home.
例句：The town seemed to sprawl for miles.
push off
离开，离去；（船桨或撑篙）将船撑离岸边；滚开
相关词汇：push（v. 推）
相关词汇：off（adv. 远离）
例句：We pushed off and rowed out into midstream.
例句：I'd better be pushing off now — I've got work to do.
近义词组：get out；piss off（滚开）
entry-level
/ˈen.triˌlev.əl/
adj. 入门级的，最初级的
相关词汇：entry（n. 入口）
established
/ɪˈstæb.lɪʃt/
adj. 已确立的，确立已久的；资深的，著名的
相关词汇：establish（v. 建立，确立）
搭配短语：an established firm
搭配短语：an established professor
be quids in
赚大钱，获得丰厚的利润
相关词汇：quid（n. 一英镑）
英文释义：to make a good profit
例句：If this deal goes ahead, we'll be quids in.
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