英闻天下——205 Sleep Support Popular among Consumers

 　　When a vast population is on the move, the discomfort¹ is beyond imagining. Sitting in a train for 20 hours is not uncommon² for those who can't afford the much faster and pricier bullet train.

 

　　But now we have this. With two adjustable³ cushions supporting the user's head and chest, the sleep support is said to provide a comfortable way to sleep for train travelers on long journeys.

 

　　However, many consumers doubt that it works.

 

　　"The pillow, especially the neck pillow, may work. But as sleep support, I don't think it can be used, as there won't be enough space for you to sit it in the train."

 

　　The product's ad is quite appealing and claims the design is ideal for supporting the human frame. It's priced between 100 and 200 yuan and has sold well according to Taobao sellers. Here is one Taobao seller.

 

　　"The sleep supports sold very well recently. Every day I receive at least 10 to 20 orders from online consumers. Most buyers are students and people who failed to buy sleeper⁴ train tickets and want to try this invention during their long trip home."

 

　　Apart from the "sleep support", there are also portable paper diapers and urine collectors sold online. They are designed to solve the difficulty of finding a toilet on long journeys, whether you're traveling by train or stuck in a traffic jam.

 

　　Some are convinced by the novelty.

 

　　"It usually takes such a long time to get home. I don't think about the safety or reliability⁶ of these products, as I simply want to be more comfortable during the long journey."

 

　　However, other consumers say they won't use these inventions, as they are worried about potential risks.

 

　　"I don't think I will use them, I'd rather bear the discomfort, as they seem unsafe. If the train gets bumpy⁷, I am afraid this stuff will break and hurt me."

 

　　Experts advise people not to rely solely⁸ on the sleep support, as bending the head and chest forward for a prolonged period is not natural for the body.

 

　　Professor Hong Tao from the Beijing Technology and Business University reminds consumers to be cautious when selecting these inventions.

 

　　"Some product sellers simply want to increase their sales; that's why they sometimes exaggerate the function of the products. Consumers should be aware of the function and negative effects it may bring."

 

　　The Spring Festival travel rush in China has been dubbed⁹ the world's largest annual migration¹⁰ of people as hundreds of millions set off on their journey home. This year's Festival will fall on February 10th and the travel peak began on January 26th.

 

　　China's railways are expecting 225 million passenger trips during the 40 days rush - a number that's been rising steadily¹¹ every year.

 

　　For CRI, I am Zhang Wan⁵.

1 discomfort   

n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便

参考例句：

• One has to bear a little discomfort while travelling.旅行中总要忍受一点不便。
• She turned red with discomfort when the teacher spoke.老师讲话时她不好意思地红着脸。

2 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

3 adjustable   

adj.可调整的，可校准的

参考例句：

• More expensive cameras have adjustable focusing.比较贵的照相机有可调焦距。
• The chair has the virtue of being adjustable.这种椅子具有可调节的优点。

4 sleeper   

n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺

参考例句：

• I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
• But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。

5 wan   

(wide area network)广域网

参考例句：

• The shared connection can be an Ethernet,wireless LAN,or wireless WAN connection.提供共享的网络连接可以是以太网、无线局域网或无线广域网。

6 reliability   

n.可靠性，确实性

参考例句：

• We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。
• I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。

7 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

8 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

9 dubbed   

v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制

参考例句：

• Mathematics was once dubbed the handmaiden of the sciences. 数学曾一度被视为各门科学的基础。
• Is the movie dubbed or does it have subtitles? 这部电影是配音的还是打字幕的？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

11 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。