民航业虽然是对环境污染最多的行业之一，却依然在蓬勃发展。这是因为其它对环境相对友好的远途旅行方式常常有速度慢、不方便、价格高等问题。比如，英国城市伦敦和爱丁堡之间虽然只有 600 多公里，但由于坐飞机价格低廉、耗时短，许多人依然选择放弃乘坐舒适环保的火车往返。我们能否转向更绿色的出行交通方式？有哪些好的选项？本文就此展开讨论。
词汇：transport 交通工具
Flying has revolutionised the way we navigate the world. It's often the quickest and most convenient way to travel long distances. But there's a catch – it's one of the most carbon-intensive activities the average person is likely to do. In 2018, a small group of celebrities in Sweden led the 'flygskam' movement, meaning 'flight shame' in English, to encourage people to give up flying. But, for people who need or love to travel, what can we offer as green alternatives?
For medium to long-distance travel, it seems trains are our best bet. Using a train instead of a domestic flight reduces emissions by 86%, according to the 2023 article 'Which form of transport has the smallest carbon footprint?'. A downside is that trains can be more expensive than flying with low-cost airlines. Another is that it might take hours longer to reach your destination, and most people don't want to spend a large part of their trip travelling from A to B. That's where sleeper trains come in. European rail networks are expanding, which means passengers can travel while sleeping and wake up in a new city or country!
For shorter distances, many would be willing to swap cars for bicycles, but few would consider cycling internationally. Among those few, Matilda Welin. It took her 17 days to cycle from London to Sweden. Sadly, she concluded that her trip neither benefitted the planet nor saved her money. But, it did change her perspective. She says "As I pedalled, I felt I was experiencing the true distance of the journey I take so casually and so often with a plane." She describes how the world around her changed slowly; the languages, the architecture, the landscapes – something she wouldn't have appreciated on a flight.
Unfortunately for the planet, air travel remains a popular option – around 100,000 planes take off globally per day. But, further investment in rail infrastructure and subsidising ticket fares could help get more people on trains than planes.
词汇表
revolutionise 使彻底改变，在…方面引起突破性变革
a catch 隐藏的问题
carbon-intensive 碳排放最密集的
flight shame 飞行羞耻
green 绿色环保的
best bet 最佳选择
domestic flight 国内航班
carbon footprint 碳足迹
airline 航空公司
destination 目的地
from A to B 从一地到另一地
sleeper train 卧铺列车
rail network 铁路网
passenger 乘客
pedal 骑自行车
infrastructure 基础设施
subsidise 给予…补贴
测验与练习
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. True or False? The 'flygskam' movement encourages people to give up flying.
2. What is an advantage of using trains rather than planes for medium to long-distance travel?
3. What are the two disadvantages of train travel mentioned?
4. Approximately how many planes take off globally per day?
5. What are the proposed measures to make train travel a more attractive alternative to flying?
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. Many countries _______ public transport to make it more affordable for residents.
use subtract pedal subsidise
2. The company is introducing some _______ technologies to reduce its environmental impact.
green red blue yellow
3. The half price offer seems too good to be true. There's got to be _______.
a footprint flight shame a best bet a catch
4. The invention of the internet has _______ the way we access information.
revolutioned revolutionised revolutionarised revolated
5. The new high-speed train makes travelling _______ much more efficient.
carbon-intensive from A to B domestic network
答案
1. 阅读课文并回答问题。
1. True or False? The 'flygskam' movement encourages people to give up flying.
True.
2. What is an advantage of using trains rather than planes for medium to long-distance travel?
One advantage is that using a train instead of a domestic flight can reduce emissions by 86%.
3. What are the two disadvantages of train travel mentioned?
Two disadvantages are that train journeys can be more expensive than low-cost airlines and can take hours longer to reach the destination.
4. Approximately how many planes take off globally per day?
Around 100,000 planes take off globally per day.
5. What are the proposed measures to make train travel a more attractive alternative to flying?
The proposed measures include further investment in rail infrastructure and subsidising ticket fares.
2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。
1. Many countries subsidise public transport to make it more affordable for residents.
2. The company is introducing some green technologies to reduce its environmental impact.
3. The half price offer seems too good to be true. There's got to be a catch.
4. The invention of the internet has revolutionised the way we access information.
5. The new high-speed train makes travelling from A to B much more efficient.