英闻天下——210 Beijing to Release Regulations to Improve Air Quality

 　　Beijing's municipal authorities will issue new regulations to improve air quality by the end of this year.

 

　　The smoggy weather has affected¹ a total area of 1.3 million square kilometers in China recently.

 

　　The new regulations include higher standards for vehicle fuel, and stricter restrictions² on industrial and exhaust gas emissions³.

 

　　Traffic authorities in Beijing have also ordered 30 percent of official cars in the city to be off road.

 

　　Ma Xuekuan is the chief weather forecaster with National Meteorological Center.

 

　　"It is a long process to change the situation. It is particularly hard to tackle such a large-scale smog through artificial means. Only strong wind or rainfall can disperse⁴ it or reduce its density⁵."

 

　　He advises people to take precautionary measures to protect their health.

 

　　The smog has also disrupted traffic, with planes grounded and highways closed during the on-going Spring Festival travel rush.

 

　　The smog has also led to a surge in respiratory illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly.

 

　　Studies show that most of the pollution comes from coal burning, motor vehicles, industrial emissions and dust.

 

　　It was the fourth round of heavy smog to hit Beijing in a month.

 

　　Beijing's air quality has worsened again since Monday, with a significant thickening of the PM 2.5, or airborne particles measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.

 

　　The average concentration of PM 2.5 has reached hazardous⁶ levels.

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

4 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

5 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

6 hazardous   

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。