The Value of Parking Spaces 停車位的價值
生活在像洛杉磯這樣「迷戀汽車」（對汽車非常感興趣）的城市，找一個地方停車可能會讓人非常「緊張」（引起擔憂）。
Most crowded, popular streets have “parking meters,” which are machines into which you must put “anywhere from” (ranging from) 50 cents to $2.00 “per” (each) hour in order to park in that space.
大多數擁擠、熱門的街道都有「停車收費表」，這是一種機器，你必須每小時支付「介於」50美分到2美元「每」小時的費用，才能停在該位置。
During the busy times of the day, people looking for a parking space will sometimes follow someone they see walking toward their parked car, “in the hopes” (with the expectation) that they will be able to park in that same space when the other person leaves.
在一天的繁忙時段，找停車位的人有時會跟隨看到的正走向已停車的人，「期望」（期待）當對方離開時，他們能停在同一個位置。
Sometimes when someone follows you to your car hoping for your “spot” (parking space), you may ask yourself, “How much will this person pay me to get my parking spot?” What if you could “auction off” (sell to the person who will give you the highest price) your parking space?
有時當有人跟著你走向你的車，想要你的「位置」（停車位）時，你可能會問自己：「這個人會給我多少錢來獲得我的停車位？」如果你能「拍賣」（賣給出價最高的人）你的停車位會怎樣呢？
Well, if you lived in New York City, you could actually do that – sell your parking space to someone.
如果你住在紐約市，你真的可以這樣做——把你的停車位賣給別人。
In New York City, many of the city’s parking spaces have no parking meters. Because they are free, there are even more people trying to find an empty one to use.
在紐約市，許多停車位沒有停車收費表。因為它們是免費的，有更多的人試圖找到一個空位來使用。
Thanks to a company called StreetParkNYC (New York City), you can now advertise and sell a parking spot you are going to “vacate” (leave) through a smartphone “application” (program).
感謝一家名為StreetParkNYC（紐約市）的公司，你現在可以通過智能手機「應用程式」（程式）廣告並出售你即將「騰出的」（離開的）停車位。
Using your smartphone, you tell the program the address where your car is located and the time you are going to leave your parking space.
通過智能手機，你告訴該程式你車輛所在的地址和你將離開停車位的時間。
Other people looking for a parking spot can then pay StreetParkNYC $5.00 to get that address and time – only one person can buy that information, of course.
其他尋找停車位的人可以支付StreetParkNYC 5美元來獲取該地址和時間——當然，只有一個人可以購買這些信息。
The other driver then drives to that address, waits for you to leave, and gets your parking space. You get $3.00, StreetParkNYC gets $2.00, and everyone is happy.
另一位司機開車到該地址，等待你離開，然後獲得你的停車位。你得到3美元，StreetParkNYC得到2美元，大家都開心。
This type of service may seem “extreme” (go too far), but in a busy city, finding a parking space may be the difference between a good and bad day!
這類服務可能看起來有些「極端」（走得太遠），但在繁忙的城市裡，找到一個停車位可能是區分一天好壞的關鍵！
重要單字
- 1. Car-crazed /kɑːr kreɪzd/ 迷戀汽車的
- 2. Stressful /ˈstrɛsfəl/ 緊張的
- 3. Parking meter /ˈpɑːkɪŋ ˈmiːtər/ 停車收費表
- 4. In the hopes /ɪn ðə hoʊps/ 期望
- 5. Spot /spɒt/ 停車位
- 6. Auction off /ˈɔːkʃən ɒf/ 拍賣
- 7. Vacate /veɪˈkeɪt/ 騰出
- 8. Application /ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃən/ 應用程式
- 9. Extreme /ɪkˈstriːm/ 極端的
