VOA标准英语2008年-Beijing Considers 'Emergency Green Plan' Ahead

Beijing is considering taking further measures to try to reduce the city's polluted air before the Olympic Games. Chinese authorities have already taken drastic steps, but with little visible progress. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.

China's state media reports Beijing may have to put in place an "emergency green plan" to try to quickly reduce the city's air pollution in time for the Games.

The official China Daily newspaper said the plan being considered would stop all construction in the city and neighboring areas, shut down more factories, and pull more vehicles from the streets.

Despite the emergency plan, Chinese officials are still painting an optimistic picture of expected air quality during the Olympic Games.

Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, says with the progress and information they have collected so far, they feel they can assure good quality air for the Olympics. More importantly, he says, the International Olympic Committee and relevant health organizations have also come to a conclusion the air quality situation in Beijing will not affect the health of the athletes.

Beijing has already taken draconian¹ measures to try to clean up its air.

The city has moved entire factories from central areas to the edge of the sprawling² metropolis³ and banned more than 300,000 heavy-polluting trucks from entering the city. Many factories and construction sites have also been temporarily closed.

In its most dramatic move to date, the city last week cut the number of private cars allowed on the road in half, by limiting drive time to odd and even days according to license⁴ plate numbers.

But, Beijing's air has shown little visible improvement and, in the past few days, air quality appeared to get worse.

"Greenpeace believes that with the current performance of air quality in Beijing, the IOC, the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, and also sports teams from various countries have reason to be concerned with the situation," said Lo Sze Ping, a spokesman for Greenpeace China.

Many Olympic athletes have chosen to train in other countries or cities before the August games to avoid Beijing's pollution.

The capital of China is one of the most polluted cities in the country and is often shrouded⁵ in a thick, gray haze⁶ fed by burning coal and factory and vehicle emissions⁷.

Beijing has almost 3.5 million cars and every day 1,000 more vehicles are added to the streets.

The China Daily quoted an environmentalist who suggested up to 90 percent of private vehicles should be kept off the streets during the Olympics. It is not clear if the suggestion would be part of the emergency plan.

 

 

 

1 draconian   

adj.严苛的；苛刻的；严酷的；龙一样的

参考例句：

• You can't expect the people to obey such draconian regulations.你不能指望人民服从如此严苛的规定。
• The city needs a draconian way of dealing with robbers.这个城市需要一个严苛的办法来对付强盗。

2 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

3 metropolis   

n.首府；大城市

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a metropolis in China.上海是中国的大都市。
• He was dazzled by the gaiety and splendour of the metropolis.大都市的花花世界使他感到眼花缭乱。

4 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

5 shrouded   

v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密

参考例句：

• The hills were shrouded in mist . 这些小山被笼罩在薄雾之中。
• The towers were shrouded in mist. 城楼被蒙上薄雾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 haze   

n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊

参考例句：

• I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
• He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

7 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。