VOA慢速英语[词汇典故]汽车与生活方式
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VOA慢速英语[词汇典故]汽车与生活方式 Now, Words and Their Stories -- a weekly program from VOA Learning English. It can be said that the United States is a driving culture. The U.S., after all, is a big country and many Americans love cars. So, it is no surprise that many Americans English expressions come from the world of driving. On exciting example is “life in the fast lane.” This expression comes from the country’s large system of highways. The roads are marked with painted lines to keep vehicles safely apart. These lines divide each road into separate lanes. Most highways in the U.S. are wide enough for three or four cars to t ravel side-by-side. Many areas require that slow drivers drive in the far-right lane. Faster moving traffic operates in the middle lanes. The fastest cars drive on the far-left side -- also called the fast lane. Someone living in the fast lane is like a fast-moving car. They live d angerously, at break neck speed. It is a way of life marked by a fast pace and usually the chase of immediate satisfaction. A person who lives in the fast lane is not happy to just live life quietl y like other people. No. For someone living in the fast lane life is one exciting experience after another. Every night is a party! Living life in the fast lane can be a selfish way to live. Sometimes th ese people only care about finding their next big thrill. Such people might drink a lot of alcohol or use other drugs. They do not think twice about how their lifestyle may affect them down the road or how it may affect others. So, who lives in the fast lane? Living in the fast lane has a high price tag. You need lots of money f or this kind of life. Some Hollywood movie actors are famous for their rich, fast-paced l ives. Sports stars can have days filled with events, parties and groupies – people who like famous people and follow them. But you do not have to be famous to live in the fast lane. Many politi cians, lawyers and business tycoons live in the fast lane. For them, life is full of movement, excitement and action! However, most people -- even actors and sports stars -- need to be w ell-rested to perform well. If not, they could burn out quickly. But getting a full 8 hours is usually not part of life in the fast lane. Many people who live in the fast lane are young. Sometimes, the fas t lane leads them down a rocky road, or a very difficult phase. Others may hit a fork in the road. They must decide to stay in the fas t lane or slow down to possibly have a longer and more meaningful life. And some never learn. Their life in the fast lane leads them to the end of the road – meaning they die. Rock musicians are known for living in the fast lane. We do not have time to name all of the performers who died young from their fast ways. Members of the rock band the Eagles lived in the fast lane. In fact, t he group’s founders, Glenn Frey and Don Henley, co-wrote a song about it. “Life in the Fast Lane” is one of their biggest hits. The two men were honest about this way of life, singing it will “sure ly make you lose your mind.” Glenn Frey died on January 18, 2016. The rock star suffered from health problems that he himself said came from a life lived 本文来源：https://www.wddqw.com/doc/4b50b3c9bfeb19e8b8f67c1cfad6195f312be887.html