新奇事件簿 骑车污染环境

An American lawmaker has said cycling is bad for the environment. He also said cyclists should pay a tax to ride their bikes on the roads. Ed Orcutt, a representative from Washington State, sent an e-mail to the owner of a local bike shop to outline his thinking. He wrote: "A cyclist has an increased heart rate and respiration¹. That means that the act of riding a bike results in greater emissions² of carbon dioxide from the rider. Since CO2 is a greenhouse gas, cyclists are actually polluting when they ride." Mr Orcutt said: "You can't just say that there's no pollution as a result of riding a bicycle .You would be giving off more CO2 if you are riding a bike than driving in a car."

一名美国议员称骑车有害环境。他还称骑车人士应该支付公路骑车税。美国议员艾德·奥克特向当地的自行车商家发了一封电邮，并表达了自己的看法。他写到：“骑车人士的心率和呼吸更加急促。这就意味着骑车会排放更多的二氧化碳。因为二氧化碳是温室气体，所以骑车人污染了环境。”奥克特先生称：“你不可能说骑车就不会污染环境。对于开车而言，骑车所产生的二氧化碳更多”。

Mr Orcutt also believes cyclists should be taxed to use the roads. He said it was unfair that motorists have to pay all of the costs of building and repairing roads. He wrote: "Currently³ motorists are paying to use their cars on the roads，so if cars pay for the roads they are using, it only makes sense that bicyclists would also be required to pay for the roads they use when they are actually biking on them." Dale Carlson, owner of the Tech Bike Shop said Mr Orcutt's ideas were wrong. He wrote: "People who choose to ride a bicycle instead of driving a car actively⁴ reduce congestion⁵." He added: "They save wear and tear on our roads and bridges, and reduce the need for police to patrol⁶ our highways."

奥克特先生还认为只有缴纳了税款，他们才能上路。他认为让汽车主支付所有修建和维修公路的费用是不公平的。他写到：“如今，车主需要花钱才能上路，如果汽车花钱才能上路的话，那么骑车人士也需要在公路骑车时交钱，这才讲得通。”“Tech Bike”商店店主戴尔·卡尔森称，奥克特的想法是错误的。他写到：“放弃开车而选择骑车的人大大减轻了路上的拥堵状况。”他还称：“他们减轻了对公路和桥梁所造成的磨损，减少了警察巡视公路的次数。”

1 respiration   

n.呼吸作用；一次呼吸；植物光合作用

参考例句：

• They tried artificial respiration but it was of no avail.他们试做人工呼吸，可是无效。
• They made frequent checks on his respiration,pulse and blood.他们经常检查他的呼吸、脉搏和血液。

2 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。

3 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

4 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

5 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

6 patrol   

v.巡逻，巡查；n.巡逻，巡查，巡逻队

参考例句：

• They attacked two soldiers on patrol.他们袭击了两名正在巡逻的士兵。
• Policemen patrol the streets.警察在街上巡逻。