VOA慢速英语2021 韩国展示空中出租车服务

South Korean officials have demonstrated a local air transportation service that could be launched in Seoul as early as 2025.

韩国官员展示了一项当地航空运输服务，该服务最早可能于2025年在首尔启动。

The recent demonstration¹ involved the country's urban air mobility² (UAM) vehicles. The vehicles are designed to transport people between major airports and downtown Seoul. Officials say the taxi service is expected to cut travel time between the two places by about two-thirds.

最近这次展示涉及到了该国的城市空中飞行器。这种飞行器用于在大型机场和首尔市中心之间运送人员。官员们表示，这种空中出租车服务有望将两地之间的旅行时间缩短三分之二左右。

Last year, South Korea announced plans to launch urban air travel services by 2025. The transport ministry³ estimates such services would reduce travel time for distances between 30 and 50 kilometers from one hour by car to 20 minutes by air.

去年，韩国宣布计划在2025年前推出城市空中旅行服务。韩国交通部估计，此类服务将使30到50公里路程的旅行时间从乘车1小时缩短到乘机20分钟。

Transport Minister Noh Hyeong-ouk attended the UAM air traffic demonstration. He said such vehicles are expected "to become one of the common means of transportation that citizens use in daily life." Therefore, it is "imperative⁴" that UAM services are tested in different environments," Noh added.

韩国交通部长卢炯旭参加了这次城市空中交通的展示活动。他说，此类飞行器有望“成为市民日常出行的常用交通工具之一。”他还表示，因此在不同环境中对城市空中交通服务进行测试是非常迫切的。

During the demonstration, a pilot flew a two-seat air taxi model by Germany's Volocopter at Seoul's Gimpo Airport. The test aimed to demonstrate the vehicle's control and coordination⁵.

在展示期间，一名飞行员在首尔金浦机场驾驶了一架德国产Volocopter双座空中出租车的样车。这次测试旨在展示这种飞行器的操控和协调性。

The Volocopter vehicle is powered by rotors that permit it to take off and land like a helicopter does. The model demonstrated can be piloted or operate without a pilot.

这种Volocopter飞行器由水平旋翼提供动力，可以像直升机一样起降。演示的样机可以在没有飞行员的情况下进行飞行和操作。

However, a transport ministry official said that when passengers are onboard UAMs, a pilot must also be onboard to control the vehicle. This is a safety measure for the taxi service and will also help the vehicles gain public acceptance, the official added.

然而，一名交通部官员表示，当乘客登上这种城市空中飞行器时，必须有一名飞行员同机进行控制。这位官员还表示，这是这种空中出租车的一项安全措施，也将有助其获得大众认可。

South Korean designers also showed off a model of another UAM vehicle. That one will not be ready for flight tests until next year. The team producing that vehicle plans to develop a five-seat version, the transport ministry said.

韩国设计师还展示了另一款城市空中飞行器的样机。该样机要到明年才能进行试飞。韩国交通部表示，该飞行器的制造团队计划开发一款五座版本。

Other technology demonstrated at the event included imaging equipment to track the aircraft, as well as lighting⁶ systems for specially⁷ designed "vertiports" where air taxis will land and take off.

此次活动上展示的其他技术包括用于跟踪这种飞行器的成像设备，以及为空中出租车起降的垂直起降场专门设计的照明系统。

A trip from Incheon International Airport to central Seoul is expected to cost about $93 when the service starts in 2025. That is much higher than a trip currently with the most costly⁸ taxi service. But transport ministry officials said the cost is expected to drop to about $17 per trip by 2035, if the market continues to experience strong growth.

当2025年开通这项服务时，从仁川国际机场到首尔市中心的旅程预计需要花费93美元。这远高于目前最昂贵的出租车服务。但交通部官员表示，如果这一市场继续强劲增长，预计到2035年，每次旅行的成本将降至17美元。

In a statement, the ministry said the test flight demonstrated the abilities of air traffic control systems. The ministry said the systems that currently manage all airport flights in the country can also manage UAM air traffic.

该部在一项声明中表示，此次试飞展示了空中交通管制系统的能力。该部表示，目前管理韩国所有机场的系统也可以管理城市空中交通。

This shows that the existing air traffic operations can be carried out "in harmony with UAM operations," the statement said.

声明表示：“这表明现有的空管系统可以与城市空管系统协调一致。”

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

5 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

6 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

7 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

8 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。