【一起听英语】坐动车
动车或者高铁已经远远超过了传统火车的速度，现在乘坐动车或者高铁已经日益成为一种受大众热捧的出行方式，它到底有哪些方便之处呢？
Rob: Hello I'm Rob. Welcome to 6 Minute English. I'm joined today by Finn. Hi
Finn.
Finn: Hi Rob.
Rob: Today we're talking about high-speed train travel. Many countries have
very fast trains that whisk people from city to city in super-quick time.
Finn: Yes, we might think that air travel is the transport of the future but it
seems high-speed train travel is becoming just as popular.
Rob: I've travelled on high-speed trains in Japan – the Shinkansen – and I have
to admit it's an exciting experience, very comfortable and you get to see
things out of the window.
Finn: Well, we'll be finding 1 out why the UK is hoping to jump on the
bandwagon – or do something that is already popular – by building a
new high-speed rail line. And we'll be learning 2 some related 3 vocabulary.
Rob: But before we set off on the right track, how about a question?
Finn: Why not!
Rob: Here goes. According to Guinness World Records, which country currently 4
holds the record for the fastest train running on a national railway
system? Is it:
a) France
b) Spain
c) China
Finn: They all have fast trains but I'm going to say c) China.
Rob: I'll let you know the answer at the end of programme. Back to our
discussion 5 about high-speed rail travel. We know that it has many
benefits – good things; it helps to take traffic off the road, it causes less
pollution, it can transport – or move – lots of people and it's quick.
Finn: Yes speed is important. The TGV train in France takes about three hours
to travel over 750 kilometres from the capital, Paris, to Marseille in the
south – very impressive 6.
6 Minute English ©British Broadcasting Corporation 7 2013
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Rob: And the AVE - Spain's ultra-modern high-speed train – stole 20 per cent
of the national airlines' customers when it started a service from Madrid to
Barcelona.
Finn: But the UK has been slow to build high-speed rail lines. It has one from
London to Paris but the government wants to build another one – called
HS2 – connecting London to the middle and north of England.
Rob: The Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, thinks one line is not good
enough. What word does he use to mean that the UK must have another
high-speed line?
Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin:
I do find it ironic 8 that I can go from London to Paris or London to Brussels on high-speed
trains, but I can't go from London to Leeds, or London to Manchester, or London to
Birmingham. This is essential to actually make sure that our great cities are connected
and we get the right benefits for the United Kingdom.
Finn: So he finds it ironic – so different from what you would expect – that he
can get to Paris by train more quickly than he can travel to many British
cities.
Rob: He used the word 'essential' to mean a new line to connect British cities
has to be built. It would connect the poorer northern cities with London,
cut journey times and stop overcrowding – that's when there are too
many people on one train.
Finn: But plans to build HS2 are controversial 9 – not everyone agrees and
there is much discussion. Some say other areas of the country will miss
out on the economic benefits.
Rob: And it will be very very expensive to build - although some experts say for
every £1 spent, it will bring £2 into the economy.
Finn: There are also concerns that some of the countryside will be destroyed. So
these are just some of the arguments and it could be a long time before
a final decision is made.
Rob: So now we'll just have to accept that our trains in the UK will carry on at a
sedate 10 speed while we watch with envy as another country's high-speed
train passes us by!
Finn: But which country's train is the fastest?
Rob: Yes, earlier I asked you which country currently holds the record for the
fastest train running on a national railway system. Is it:
a) France
b) Spain
c) China
Finn: I said c) China.
6 Minute English ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
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Rob: You are wrong. The record belongs to France. It ran a modified 11 version 12 of
its TGV train on its network at a speed of 574.8 km/h.
Finn: That's 357.2 miles per hour. I wouldn't like to be standing 13 on the platform
as that went by!
Rob: That train ran on a railway track – but a train that uses magnets 14 to float
above the track is being developed in Japan that will run, slightly slower,
at 500 km/h. OK Finn, there's just time to remind us of some of the
vocabulary we've heard today:
Finn: Yes, we heard:
to jump on the bandwagon
on the right track
benefits
to transport
ultra-modern
ironic
essential
controversial
arguments
sedate
envy
Rob: Thanks. We hope you've enjoyed today's programme. Please join us soon
again for 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
Both: Bye.
- The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
- That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。
- When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
- Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。
- I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
- We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。
- Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
- Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。
- It is certain he will come to the discussion.他肯定会来参加讨论。
- After months of discussion,a peace agreement is gradually taking shape.经过几个月的商讨，和平协议渐渐有了眉目。
- This cinema is so impressive that we can't help crying.这影片如此感人以至我们禁不住流下泪来。
- The suit made him look especially impressive.他穿上这套衣服真精神。
- The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation. 这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
- The inflation did the corporation up. 通货膨胀使这个公司破产了。
- That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
- People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。
- The topic of argument is controversial.这个议题是很有争议的。
- Immigration is a controversial issue in many countries.在很多国家，移民都是一个颇有争议的问题。
- After the accident,the doctor gave her some pills to sedate her.事故发生后，医生让她服了些药片使她镇静下来。
- We spent a sedate evening at home.我们在家里过了一个恬静的夜晚。
- The software we use has been modified for us. 我们使用的软件已按我们的需要作过修改。
- The heating system has recently been modified to make it more efficient. 暖气设备最近已进行了改造，使其效率得到提高。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
- What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样？
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。