CCTV9英语新闻：Jobs losses in HK's distribution, logistics sectors

Mr. Leung runs a company that delivers goods to shops, markets and restaurants. Since the protesters occupied the roads, his business has declined 1 sharply 2.

"I had to re-route because of the road blockades and congestions," Leung said. "Time on the road is doubled. An order that I could complete within one hour before the protests 3, now takes two hours."

To people like Leung, time costs.Leung used to have 100 contracted lorries. And the office phone would ring every few minutes.But now, it's quiet. His company revenue 4 dropped 80 percent. And many drivers have quit.

"Now I have only around 10 lorries left," Leung said. "Business is bad. The drivers spend much more time on the road, but their income is less than half of what it used to be. Many of them had to leave."

"It's very hard to hire a driver because of the poor business," Bai Jianlu from Dragonsky Asia Enterprise 5 Ltd. said. "I have to sell off the vehicles to stop further losses."

Tai Lin Pai Road in Hong Kong is the main thoroughfare for the city's logistics industry. At peak times, this road was packed with trucks. But now the scene is quite different.

This here is Hennessy Road, a key passage on Hong Kong Island. The eastbound traffic has been stopped for one month. Several key roads in downtown Admiralty and Mong Kok are also occupied. So truck drivers have to take long detours 6, but the alternative routes are also congested.

The protests have increased the fuel cost of each lorry by more than 1,000 Hong Kong dollars. And each delivery 7 in the occupied areas cost the drivers an extra two to three hours. October should have been the golden period for the industry.

In Hong Kong, there are around 200 small-and-medium-sized logistic companies. Mr. Leung's was among the top 30. But he says his company is now in the worst time since it was set up 20 years ago.

"We experienced 8 the 1997 Asia Financial Crisis 9 and other difficult times," Leung said. "We got through them, but now we are facing the worst time ever. We can't do our business, and the whole industry is suffering great loss."

Leung said if the protests continue, his remaining drivers would also have to leave. He said he doesn't know how long he can carry on for. And he only hopes the situation can turn better soon, so he can get his business back.

 

 

点击收听单词发音  






1
declined

  
 


v.辞谢，谢绝（邀请等）( decline的过去式和过去分词 )；（道路、物体等）下倾；（太阳）落下；（在品格、价值上）降低


参考例句：





We asked her to come to our party, but she declined. 我们请她来参加我们的晚会，但是她谢绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
He declined to charge his memory with so many details. 他不愿在脑中记这么多细枝末节。 来自《简明英汉词典》












2
sharply

  
 


adj.锐利地，急速；adv.严厉地，鲜明地


参考例句：





The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。












3
protests

  
 


n.[体]抗议；抗议，反对( protest的名词复数 )v.声明( protest的第三人称单数 )；坚决地表示；申辩


参考例句：





The protests have forced the government to back-pedal on the new tax. 抗议活动已迫使政府撤销新的税目。
Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。












4
revenue

  
 


n.总收入，财政收入，税收；税务局


参考例句：





The country diminished the revenue by reducing tax.这个国家通过减税而使税收减少了。
A government's revenue and expenditure should be balanced.政府的财政收入和支出要平衡。












5
enterprise

  
 


n.企业单位，商业公司，事业，计划


参考例句：





They are determined to carry forward the enterprise.他们决心把事业进行下去。
The enterprise has excellent prospects.这家企业的远景极其美好。












6
detours

  
 


绕行的路( detour的名词复数 )； 绕道，兜圈子


参考例句：





Local wars and bandits often blocked their travel, making countless detours necessary. 内战和盗匪也常阻挡他们前进，迫使他们绕了无数弯路。
Could it be that all these detours had brought them to Moshi Pass? 难道绕来绕去，绕到磨石口来了吗？ 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子












7
delivery

  
 


n.交付；投递；分娩；解救者；演讲的风格


参考例句：





The strike caused a great delay in the delivery of the mail.这次罢工严重地延误了邮件的投递。
He was employed at the local grocery store as a delivery boy.他受雇于当地杂货店当送货员。












8
experienced

  
 


adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的


参考例句：





Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。












9
crisis

  
 


n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段


参考例句：





He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。