民航業雖然是對環境污染最多的行業之一，卻依然在蓬勃發展。這是因為其它對環境相對友好的遠途旅行方式常常有速度慢、不方便、價格高等問題。比如，英國城市倫敦和愛丁堡之間雖然隻有 600 多公裡，但由於坐飛機價格低廉、耗時短，許多人依然選擇放棄乘坐舒適環保的火車往返。我們能否轉向更綠色的出行交通方式？有哪些好的選項？本文就此展開討論。
詞匯：transport 交通工具
Flying has revolutionised the way we navigate the world. It’s often the quickest and most convenient way to travel long distances. But there’s a catch – it’s one of the most carbon-intensive activities the average person is likely to do. In 2018, a small group of celebrities in Sweden led the ‘flygskam’ movement, meaning ‘flight shame‘ in English, to encourage people to give up flying. But, for people who need or love to travel, what can we offer as green alternatives?
For medium to long-distance travel, it seems trains are our best bet. Using a train instead of a domestic flight reduces emissions by 86%, according to the 2023 article ‘Which form of transport has the smallest carbon footprint?’. A downside is that trains can be more expensive than flying with low-cost airlines. Another is that it might take hours longer to reach your destination, and most people don’t want to spend a large part of their trip travelling from A to B. That’s where sleeper trains come in. European rail networks are expanding, which means passengers can travel while sleeping and wake up in a new city or country!
For shorter distances, many would be willing to swap cars for bicycles, but few would consider cycling internationally. Among those few, Matilda Welin. It took her 17 days to cycle from London to Sweden. Sadly, she concluded that her trip neither benefitted the planet nor saved her money. But, it did change her perspective. She says “As I pedalled, I felt I was experiencing the true distance of the journey I take so casually and so often with a plane.” She describes how the world around her changed slowly; the languages, the architecture, the landscapes – something she wouldn’t have appreciated on a flight.
Unfortunately for the planet, air travel remains a popular option – around 100,000 planes take off globally per day. But, further investment in rail infrastructure and subsidising ticket fares could help get more people on trains than planes.
詞匯表
revolutionise 使徹底改變，在…方面引起突破性變革
a catch 隱藏的問題
carbon-intensive 碳排放最密集的
flight shame 飛行羞恥
green 綠色環保的
best bet 最佳選擇
domestic flight 國內航班
carbon footprint 碳足跡
airline 航空公司
destination 目的地
from A to B 從一地到另一地
sleeper train 臥鋪列車
rail network 鐵路網
passenger 乘客
pedal 騎自行車
infrastructure 基礎設施
subsidise 給予…補貼
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. True or False? The ‘flygskam’ movement encourages people to give up flying.
2. What is an advantage of using trains rather than planes for medium to long-distance travel?
3. What are the two disadvantages of train travel mentioned?
4. Approximately how many planes take off globally per day?
5. What are the proposed measures to make train travel a more attractive alternative to flying?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Many countries _______ public transport to make it more affordable for residents.
use subtract pedal subsidise
2. The company is introducing some _______ technologies to reduce its environmental impact.
green red blue yellow
3. The half price offer seems too good to be true. There’s got to be _______.
a footprint flight shame a best bet a catch
4. The invention of the internet has _______ the way we access information.
revolutioned revolutionised revolutionarised revolated
5. The new high-speed train makes travelling _______ much more efficient.
carbon-intensive from A to B domestic network
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. True or False? The ‘flygskam’ movement encourages people to give up flying.
True.
2. What is an advantage of using trains rather than planes for medium to long-distance travel?
One advantage is that using a train instead of a domestic flight can reduce emissions by 86%.
3. What are the two disadvantages of train travel mentioned?
Two disadvantages are that train journeys can be more expensive than low-cost airlines and can take hours longer to reach the destination.
4. Approximately how many planes take off globally per day?
Around 100,000 planes take off globally per day.
5. What are the proposed measures to make train travel a more attractive alternative to flying?
The proposed measures include further investment in rail infrastructure and subsidising ticket fares.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Many countries subsidise public transport to make it more affordable for residents.
2. The company is introducing some green technologies to reduce its environmental impact.
3. The half price offer seems too good to be true. There’s got to be a catch.
4. The invention of the internet has revolutionised the way we access information.
5. The new high-speed train makes travelling from A to B much more efficient.
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