Should we put roads underground? 我们应该把道路建在地下吗?

时间:2024-03-28 02:33:52

(单词翻译:单击)

  Should we put roads underground? 我们应该把道路建在地下吗?
  许多城市都设有地下列车系统,这让日常出行变得更高效、更环保。如今,有人在探讨应不应该把道路也挪到地下,从而为咖啡馆、公园等更美观的场所腾出地上空间。本文围绕改在地下修建道路这一提议现实与否展开讨论。
  词汇:traffic 交通
  Can you imagine living in a city without roads on the surface? We've already put trains underground successfully, but the idea of building roads underground is now inspiring urban planners and engineers. Bradley Garrett, author of 'Subterranean1 London', says that there's something magical about things happening out of sight, that it "gives the illusion of seamlessness". So, how might underground roads reshape our cities and redefine the daily commute2?
  "If you want to revitalise the city centre, you pedestrianise the roads," says Tom Ireland, the director of tunnelling at engineering company Aurecon. Moving roads below the surface can free up space for parks, pavement cafes, and other public amenities3, improving the urban environment and mental health of the population. Not only that, it could reduce traffic congestion4 above ground, and who doesn't want to be freed from noise pollution and the sight of gridlocked traffic?
  Underground roads could also make self-driving cars more popular, which are often more energy-efficient, and less prone5 to collisions. This, in a world trying to reduce its fuel consumption, is appealing. But if driverless cars end up becoming more attractive than public transport, it could actually make traffic worse, because cars take up more space than trains and buses.
  That's not the only drawback that may come with a motorised world beneath our feet. The construction and maintenance of underground infrastructure6 are both hazardous7 and energy-intensive processes. On top of that, most people don't like the feeling of confinement8 you get when you're travelling through underground tunnels, which may affect public perception.
  Dreams of roadless, car-free cities bring both excitement and scepticism. We may fantasise about cityscapes made for pedestrians9, but perhaps getting more people to use public transport rather than private vehicles would be more worth our time and resources.
  词汇表
  urban planner 城市规划师
  the illusion of seamlessness 完美连贯的假象,无缝的错觉commute 上下班往返,通勤
  pedestrianise 设立步行街
  free up space 腾出空间
  public amenities 公共设施
  congestion 拥堵,堵塞
  noise pollution 噪声污染
  gridlocked traffic 交通堵塞
  self-driving car 自动驾驶汽车
  energy-efficient 节能的
  collision(车辆)碰撞,相撞
  fuel consumption 燃油消耗量,耗油量
  motorised 机动(化)的
  infrastructure 基础设施
  hazardous 危险的
  energy-intensive 耗能的
  roadless 无道路的
  car-free 无车的,车辆禁行的
  vehicle 车辆,交通工具
 

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1 subterranean ssWwo     
adj.地下的,地表下的
参考例句:
  • London has 9 miles of such subterranean passages.伦敦像这样的地下通道有9英里长。
  • We wandered through subterranean passages.我们漫游地下通道。
2 commute BXTyi     
vi.乘车上下班;vt.减(刑);折合;n.上下班交通
参考例句:
  • I spend much less time on my commute to work now.我现在工作的往返时间要节省好多。
  • Most office workers commute from the suburbs.很多公司的职员都是从郊外来上班的。
3 amenities Bz5zCt     
n.令人愉快的事物;礼仪;礼节;便利设施;礼仪( amenity的名词复数 );便利设施;(环境等的)舒适;(性情等的)愉快
参考例句:
  • The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
  • Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 congestion pYmy3     
n.阻塞,消化不良
参考例句:
  • The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
  • Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。
5 prone 50bzu     
adj.(to)易于…的,很可能…的;俯卧的
参考例句:
  • Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
  • He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。
6 infrastructure UbBz5     
n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施
参考例句:
  • We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
  • We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设,发展各类群众文化。
7 hazardous Iddxz     
adj.(有)危险的,冒险的;碰运气的
参考例句:
  • These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
  • Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。
8 confinement qpOze     
n.幽禁,拘留,监禁;分娩;限制,局限
参考例句:
  • He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
  • The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。
9 pedestrians c0776045ca3ae35c6910db3f53d111db     
n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

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