VOA慢速英语2020 维珍超级高铁完成首次载人测试（在线收听）

The American company Virgin Hyperloop says the high-speed transportation system it is developing has passed its first test with passengers.

美国维珍超级高铁公司称其正在开发的高速运输系统已经通过了首次载人测试。

The company said the successful test was carried out on November 8 at its 500-meter DevLoop test area in Las Vegas, Nevada.

该公司表示，这次成功的测试于11月8日在该公司位于内华达州拉斯维加斯市一段500米长的DevLoop测试区进行。

The Hyperloop system is based on a technology called magnetic levitation. It uses magnetic fields to create a floating effect for a transportation vehicle and push it forward.

超级高铁系统是基于一种被称为磁悬浮的技术。它利用磁场为运输车辆产生漂浮效果并推动其前进。

Some high-speed trains also use this technology. But unlike trains, Hyperloop is designed to operate within pressurized tubes. It uses electric propulsion to move vehicles, called pods, through the tubes at high speeds.

一些高速列车也采用了这项技术。但是跟列车不同的是，超级高铁被设计成在增压管道内运行。它利用电力推动被称为“胶囊舱”的车辆高速通过这些管道。

The recent test involved two members of Virgin Hyperloop's leadership team. The pod carrying them reached speeds of up to 172 kilometers an hour, the company said.

最近这次测试搭载了维珍超级高铁公司领导团队的两位成员。该公司表示，胶囊舱搭载着他们达到了172公里每小时的速度。

Sara Luchian, the company's Director of Passenger Experience, was one of the passengers. Luchian told the BBC she felt the trip was "exhilarating - both psychologically and physically."

该公司的乘客体验总监萨拉·卢基安是其中一名乘客。卢基安对英国 广播公司表示，她觉得这次旅行“在精神和身体上都令人振奋。”

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem is the chairman of Virgin Hyperloop. "I had the true pleasure of seeing history made before my very eyes," he said in a statement, after watching the test. Bin Sulayem added that he felt he had witnessed "the first new mode of mass transportation in over 100 years come to life."

苏尔坦·艾哈迈德·本·苏莱姆是维珍超级高铁公司的董事长。他在观看了这次测试后发表声明称：“我非常高兴自己亲眼见证了历史。”本·苏莱姆还说，他觉得自己见证了“一百多年来首个全新模式的大规模运输方式的诞生。”

Hyperloop says it has already run over 400 tests without passengers at its Nevada site. But the company said the latest test shows that it had successfully developed the technology into a safe transportation system.

维珍超级高铁公司表示，它在内华达州的试验场已经进行了400多次无人测试。但是该公司表示，最近这次测试表明，它已经成功将该技术开发成为一种安全的运输系统。

Jay Walder is the CEO of Virgin Hyperloop. "I can't tell you how often I get asked ‘is Hyperloop safe?,'" he said. "With today's passenger testing, we have successfully answered this question."

杰·沃德是维珍超级高铁公司的首席执行官。他说：“我没法告诉你我有多少次被问到‘超级高铁安全吗？’通过今天的载人测试，我们已经成功地回答了这个问题。”

A two-person car was specially developed for the test. Virgin Hyperloop says the actual production vehicle, when completed, will carry up to 28 passengers.

该公司为这次测试专门开发了两人座的车辆。维珍超级高铁公司表示，最终的量产车将能够搭载28名乘客。

Los Angeles-based Hyperloop envisions a future in which its floating pods would carry passengers and cargo at speeds of up to 966 kilometers an hour.

总部位于洛杉矶市的维珍超级高铁公司设想了一个未来，其漂浮胶囊舱将能以每小时966公里的速度搭载乘客和货物。

The system offers near silent travel and will release no carbon emissions. The company says the pods could complete a trip between New York and Washington, D.C. in just 30 minutes. That would be twice as fast as a jet flight and four times faster than a high-speed train.

该系统的行驶过程近似无声，并且没有碳排放。该公司表示，这种胶囊舱可以在30分钟内完成从纽约到华盛顿的行程。那将是喷气式飞机飞行速度的两倍，是高速列车的4倍。

The test comes a month after it was reported that Virgin Hyperloop plans to build a $500 million certification and testing center in West Virginia.

在这次测试的一个月前，有报道称维珍超级高铁公司计划在西弗吉尼亚州建设一个价值5亿美元的认证和测试中心。

The company has said it is working to get a safety certification by the year 2025 and aims to launch transportation services by 2030.

该公司表示，它正致力于在2025年前获得安全认证，并计划在2030年推出运输服务。

Virgin Hyperloop has raised more than $400 million, largely from Virgin Group chief Richard Branson and the port operations company DP World, which is owned by the Dubai government. Virgin is one of several companies working to develop the technology.

维珍超级高铁公司已经筹集了超过4亿美元资金，其中大部分来自于维珍集团首席执行官理查德·布兰森和迪拜政府国有的迪拜环球港务集团。维珍集团是致力于开发这种技术的几个公司之一。