Inter-city rail projects cleared

    Beijing, August 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)（国家发改委） on Friday approved a batch¹ of inter-city rail transit² networks, spanning more than 2,000 kilometers, to accelerate（加速） regional integration³.
    The nation's economic planner said on its website that it has cleared the plan to build the network across central China, mainly in Henan province. The network is expected to link nine cities and has a total length of 496 kms.
    It also includes amendments（修正案） on plans of the networks across the Pearl River Delta⁴ region, with a length of 1,478 kms, as well as metro⁵ lines in Xi'an, the capital city of Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
    "The plans are a continuation of China's supportive policy on infrastructure⁶ construction," said Ou Guoli, a professor at the business and management department of the Beijng Jiaotong University.
    "It will create huge investment opportunities and benefit industries like steel, cement and telecommunications," Ou said.
    According to Ou, the average cost of a railway transit system ranges from 100 million yuan to 200 million yuan per km.
    The cost is even higher for metro lines, with an average cost of 600 million yuan per km.
    China's urbanization（都市化） has come to a certain stage when there are more and more requirements on transportation efficiency, indicating a speed-up in the country's rail transit system, Ou said.
    China has launched 31 metro lines in 10 cities. The State Council last year approved 79 additional metro lines in 22 cities, at an estimated investment cost of around 882 billion yuan. That in turn is expected to create huge demand for rail-related businesses, particularly, for train makers⁸.
    China CSR, one of the two largest train makers in China, has teamed up with the Henan and Guangdong provinces to cash on the booming city rail transit system.
    "Two years back, we had an annual production capacity of 2,000 units. It still lags behind (the booming demand)," Zhao Xiaogang, chairman of China CSR, told Forbes China magazine in a recent interview.
    The Chinese company plans to ramp⁹ up annual production capacity to 3,000 units this year.
    French train maker⁷ Alstom has sold more than 1,200 trains to Shanghai Metro and over 400 in Nanjing. It also provides metro signaling systems for Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Alstom said it is now looking for opportunities in the second-tier cities.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

2 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

3 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

4 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

5 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

6 infrastructure   

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 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

8 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。