讲解人 · Natasha
原文
During the depths of winter, temperatures can drop as low as -30C, with just four hours of daylight.
Despite these harsh conditions, 12% of winter journeys are made by bicycle in the city of Oulu. Everywhere you go, people of all ages flurry by over the fresh snow, wrapped in winter clothes and seemingly enjoying the brief pale sunshine and bitingly cold air.
So how did Oulu gain its reputation for keeping cyclists on the move even in the depths of winter?
“It’s part of our history and our way of life, “ says Harri Vaarala, a traffic engineer for the city of Oulu.
In Oulu, the cycling heritage goes back a long way as the network of cycle paths was first planned to sit alongside the roads by city planners in the 1960s.
Since its inception, the network has grown extensively, and has more than 900km of pedestrian and cycle paths combined.
The beautiful wintry surroundings also look like they have something to do with it.
But without proper cycling infrastructure, the attraction could soon wear off.
The city has also made a long-term commitment and investment in cycling, as part of the city’s push towards sustainability and lowering car emissions.
The city encourages cycling by clearing the paths every day during the winter, using a fleet of heavy-duty snow ploughs.
The paths are well-lit during the dark winter months, and there are 320 underpasses so that children, in particular, don’t have to cross roads.
There is also a system of projector-based signs that are illuminated from lamp posts onto the snowy surfaces.
The city is now in the process of widening the cycle paths from 3.5m to 6.6m to build cycling “superhighways” for cyclists and pedestrians.
带着问题听讲解
- 如何理解 heavy-duty 这个词？
- 根据文章内容，为何在气候条件恶劣的奥卢，选择在冬季骑自行车出行的人仍高达 12%？
- 根据文章内容，为鼓励人们骑自行车出行，当地政府采取了哪些举措？
讲解
重点词汇
blanket
/ˈblæŋ·kɪt/
v. 覆盖，笼罩
- 词性拓展：blanket（n. 毯子，覆盖物）英文释义：to cover something completely with a thick layer搭配短语：to be blanketed with / in…（被……覆盖）
- 例句：The forest was blanketed in thick mist.
depth
/depθ/
n. 最深处，极限；（距离上的）深度；深奥，深刻；（情感）深厚
- 例句：Her writing shows astonishing depth.（深奥，渊博）例句：He spoke with great depth of feeling.（（情感）深厚）搭配短语：the depths of winter（隆冬时节）
harsh
/hɑːrʃ/
adj.（环境、条件）恶劣的，艰苦的；严厉的，残酷的；刺耳的；刺眼的
- 搭配短语：the harsh environment（严酷的环境）搭配短语：harsh criticism（严厉的批评）搭配短语：harsh realities（残酷的现实）搭配短语：the harsh voice（刺耳的声音）搭配短语：the harsh sunlight（刺眼的阳光）
flurry by
快速经过
- 相关词汇：flurry（v.（急切地、不安地）快速移动）
- 词性拓展：flurry（n. 一阵忙乱、骚动）
- 例句：The event caused a flurry of press attention.
- 英文释义：to move quickly in a busy or agitated way
- 例句：The waiter flurried between diners.
bitingly
/ˈbaɪ.tɪŋ.li/
adv. 刺骨地，凛冽地
- 相关词汇：biting（adj.（风）刺骨的，凛冽的；（说话）尖刻的，刻薄的）
- 英文释义：sharply painful
- 相关词汇：bite（v. 咬）
- 近义词：harsh（adj. 尖刻的，严厉的）
- 搭配短语：biting sarcasm（尖酸刻薄的讽刺）
- 搭配短语：a biting wind（凛冽的寒风）
inception
/ɪnˈsep.ʃən/
n. 开始，开端
- 例句：We'll assist you at every stage from inception to completion.
extensively
/ɪkˈsten.sɪv.li/
adv. 扩大地，外延地
- 相关词汇：extensive（adj. 广阔的，广大的；广泛的，大规模的）
- 搭配短语：a house with extensive grounds（一个有着开阔空地的房子）
- 相关词汇：extend（v.（空间上的）延展，扩大）
- 例句："Blossoms Shanghai" has received extensive coverage in the national press.（广泛的）
pedestrian
/pəˈdes.tri.ən/
n. 行人
- 搭配短语：pedestrian crossing（人行横道）搭配短语：pedestrian path；pedestrian walkway（人行道）
wear off
逐渐减少，逐渐消逝
- 相关词汇：wear（v. 用旧，磨损）
- 搭配短语：wear away（磨损）
- 相关词汇：away（adv. 远离，减退）
- 例句：I really like this shirt but it's starting to wear (away) at the collar.
相关词汇：off（adv. 离开，去除）例句：The effects of the anaesthetic were starting to wear off.
commitment
/kəˈmɪt.mənt/
n. 承诺，保证
- 相关词汇：commit（v. 承诺，保证）
- 搭配短语：to commit oneself to sth.（承诺做某事）
- 搭配短语：to be committed to sth.（承诺做某事）
- 例句：The government has committed itself to reforming healthcare.
- 例句：The government has been committed to reforming healthcare.
近义词：promise；pledge（n. 承诺，保证）搭配短语：to make a commitment to do sth.（承诺做某事）搭配短语：to meet / fulfil / honour a commitment（履行承诺）
heavy-duty
/ˌhev.iˈdʒuː.ti/
adj.（机器、设备）重型的；耐用的，结实的；繁重的，强度大的
- 搭配短语：a heavy-duty canvas bag（一个结实的帆布袋）例句：He did some heavy-duty cleaning.（繁重的，强度大的）
snow plough
/ˈsnoʊ.plaʊ/
n. 扫雪机
- 相关词汇：plough（n. 犁）
- 词性拓展：plough（v. 犁地）
- 例句：The soil was freshly ploughed.
underpass
/ˈʌn.dɚ.pæs/
n. 地下通道
- 相关词汇：pass（n. 通道）词根词缀：under-（表示“在……下面”）相关词汇：overpass（n. 天桥，立交桥）
- 词根词缀：over-（表示“在……上面”）
- 近义词：flyover（n. 天桥，立交桥）
projector
/prəˈdʒek.tɚ/
n. 投影仪，放映机
- 相关词汇：project（v. 投影，投射）
- 例句：She projected the slides onto the screen.
illuminate
/ɪˈluː.mə.neɪt/
v. 照明，照亮
- 近义词：light（v. 照明，照亮）例句：The room was illuminated by candles.相关词汇：illumination（n. 照明；灯饰）文化补充：逆向构词法（back-formation）指通过去掉一个词的后缀而构成一个新词的构词方法 。比如，动词 escalate（提高，加剧） 来自名词 escalator（电梯）；动词 diagnose（诊断） 来自名词 diagnosis（诊断）。文中的动词 illuminate（照明）则来自名词 illumination（照明）。
