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150 Years of the Tube 世界最古老！伦敦地铁150岁

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课文讲解

The London Underground was an idea born of necessity. In the mid-19^th century, London’s infrastructure was suffering from overcrowding. Part of the problem was that people arriving at any of the capital’s train stations had to complete their journeys to the city center on the roads. In order to solve the problem, the city of London began creating the underground rail system in the 1850s.

伦敦地铁是因应社会需要而诞生的概念。19世纪中期，伦敦的公共建设遭受过度拥挤之苦。部分原因是因为抵达首府内任一火车站的人，必须使用市区道路抵达市中心。为了解决此问题，伦敦市在1850年代开始建立地下铁路系统。

It was opened to the public in 1863, making it 150 years old this year, and the oldest subway system in the world. Over the years, more lines have been added, forming an effective transit network which offers a great convenience to the general public. There are now 11 lines, plus several overground routes. More and more passengers make a journey on the Underground part of their daily routine.

伦敦地铁在1863年正式对外营业，今年已经150岁，同时也是世界上最老的地铁系统。多年以来路线不断扩张，形成一个有效率的交通运输网，提供大众十足的便利性。现在共有11条地下铁路线，加上数条地上铁行车路线，越来越多的乘客把搭乘伦敦地铁当作他们日常生活的一部分。

The subway, nicknamed “the Tube” because of the shape of the tunnels, has served other purposes than just transportation. The stations were used as shelters during World War II. Food, water, and beds were set up on the platforms, and some areas were even made into classrooms and libraries.

由于隧道形状而被昵称「管子」的伦敦地铁，除了交通以外还有其他的用途。在二次大战期间，地铁车站被当作避难场所。食物、水以及床铺被设置在月台上，有些区域甚至被用来当作教室及图书馆。

单词发音

Vocabulary

necessity [nəˋsɛsətɪ] n. 需要，必要性

necessary adj. 必要的

Bringing a map or a GPS device is a necessity for long car trips.

overcrowding [ˏovɚ`kraʋdɪŋ] n. 过度拥挤

Overcrowding on the train makes people fell hot and uncomfortable.

underground [ˋʌndɚ͵graʊnd] adj. 地下的，地面下的

overground adj. 地上的

An underground pipe brings water from the river to the city.

route [rut] n. 路线

Taxi drivers are supposed to take the fastest routes possible.

transportation [͵trænspɚˋteʃən] n. 交通运输

transport v. 运输

You can exercise a little more every day by using a bicycle for transportation.

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infrastructure [ˋɪnfrə͵strʌktʃɚ] n. 基础建设

transit [ˋtrænsɪt] n. 运输，运送

set up  建立，创立

课文朗读

课文讲解

There are 270 stations on the Tube, but some of these are more famous than others. Baker Street station is close to the home of the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Other stations have appeared in James Bond movies, the Harry Potter films, and many more.

伦敦地铁共有270个车站，但有些车站较为出名。贝克街车站位于著名侦探小说福尔摩斯的住家附近。其他车站也曾出现在007、哈利波特以及其他电影当中。

Waterloo station is the busiest Tube stop these days. Over 82 million people pass through it every year. Another interesting stop is at Covent Garden, in the heart of London’s theater district. The station is said to be haunted by the ghost of William Terriss, a 19^th century actor, who was murdered outside a local theater.

滑铁卢车站是现今最繁忙的地铁站，每年有8,200万的旅客行经此站。另一个引人关注的车站是柯芬园站，它位于伦敦剧院区的中心。这个车站传说有威廉泰理斯的鬼魂出没，他是一名19世纪的演员，在当地一间戏院外被人谋害。

But what does the future hold for the Tube? There was a lot of redevelopment leading up to the 2012 Olympics, which delayed people’s journeys as lines were closed. However, this has resulted in many improvements. Many stations now have Wi-Fi networks, and air conditioning is being introduced as well. These improvements make traveling on the Tube more convenient and comfortable. If you ever visit London, you’ll see how vital the Tube is to the city.

但是，伦敦地铁的未来会是如何呢？因应2012年的夏季奥运，当时有许多重建工程在进行，因为有部分路线停摆而造成旅客行程延误。然而，重建工程也导向更多的进步。许多车站现在都有无线网络以及引进空调设备。这些改善让搭乘地铁更加的方便与舒适。如果你造访伦敦，你就会了解地铁之于伦敦的重要性。

－by Pat Woods

单词发音

Vocabulary

fictional [ˋfɪkʃən!] adj. 虚构的；小说的

fiction n. 小说

Some young children don't realize that Santa Claus is just a fictional character.

haunt [hɔnt] v.（鬼魂等）常出没于

The story says that a ghost haunts the forest of the mountain.

improvement [ɪmˋpruvmənt] n. 改进，改善

improve v. 改进

There is need for improvement in your handwriting because nobody can read it.

introduce [͵ɪntrəˋdjus] v. 引进

(introduce-introduced-introduced)

New military weapons were introduced to Taiwan from the US.

vital [ˋvaɪt!] adj. 极其重要的，必不可少的

It is vital that people get lots of rest when they are ill.

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redevelopment [͵ridɪˋvɛləpmənt] n. 重新开发；再开发

lead up to 作为...的准备(或先导)

Olympics [oˋlɪmpɪks] n. 奥林匹克运动会（= Olympic games）

Wi-Fi 无线局域网络

London Underground Observations 17/07/2012