2023届高考英语三轮复习·冲刺押题·外刊阅读理解训练 (24)

2023届高考英语三轮复习·冲刺押题 外刊阅读理解训练24 ——改编自Cities are back. Here’s how to make them work better 【文章】 Cities are experiencing a boom, with more people than ever before flocking to urban centers like Manhattan, London, and Paris. With space in short supply, cities must work to optimize every square inch of available real estate. Historically, as space became more abundant in the years following World War II, the art of space management was forgotten by planners and builders alike. However, there are still many underused spaces in cities that can be repurposed to accommodate a growing population. In Paris, for example, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of secondary residences in recent decades, while the number of empty apartments has also grown significantly. To optimize urban spaces, people who own second homes should be taxed much higher, and regulators should ensure that short-term rentals are used optimally. Either allow a flat to be rented out year-round or insist that an actual resident is present to rent it out only during holidays. The goal should always be to ensure that space is occupied. Similarly, shared urban spaces such as school playgrounds and office lobbies can be opened up to serve a dual purpose. In some cities, school playgrounds are now open to locals on weekends, while office lobbies can double as cafes or co-working spaces. Achieving all this will require more cleaners and janitors, who could be funded through taxes on tourists. Waste of parking space is another issue that needs to be addressed. Whereas the average American car takes up 160 square feet of space, shared households often have much less space per occupant. Cities can push cars out and rely on taxis and Ubers instead. Delivery trucks also consume excessive amounts of urban space, creating duplicated journeys that can be eliminated by awarding a monopoly to a single delivery service contracted by each city. As the pandemic winds down, another challenge on the horizon will be