英语听力精选进阶版 13703

 Are Indian train fares fair?

15 March 2012

For the first time in almost a decade, India will increase train ticket prices, as part of a bid to modernise² its ageing rail network. The government will invest³ billions of dollars to improve safety and update trains and tracks, which are in some cases decades old.

Reporter

Rajini Vaidyanathan

Report

More than 22 million people use India's rail network every single day - it's been a central mode¹ of transport for people here since trains first started running in India in the 1800s, but many passengers say the trains and tracks are in dire⁴ need of modernisation.

In its annual railways budget the Indian government has pledged⁵ to build new tracks and carriages, and to modernise signalling, to improve safety and reduce the thousands of deaths which happen on the tracks every year.

But all this costs money. As well as investing⁶ 147 billion dollars in the next five years, it's announced a modest increase in ticket prices. This could be an unpopular move - there hasn't been a fare hike in the country for almost a decade. Members of railways minister Dinesh Trivedi's own party have criticised the move, saying fare increases should not have been made as they will hit the poorest.

1 mode   

n.方式，样式，模式，风格，时兴；[音乐]调式

参考例句：

• Wearing jeans is out of mode at present.现在穿牛仔裤过时了。
• His mode of doing business is offensive to me.他干事情的方式叫我很不喜欢。

2 modernise   

vt.使现代化

参考例句：

• If it works,it would help to modernise the entire economy.这项（改革）一旦实施起效，将有助于整体经济的现代化进程。
• They attempted in vain to modernise these antiquated industries.他们企图使这些陈旧的工业现代化，结果劳而无功。

3 invest   

v.投资；投入(时间等)；授予，赋予

参考例句：

• I have decided to invest in a new car.我已经决定买一辆新汽车。
• The best time to invest is now.现在是投资的最佳时机。

4 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

5 pledged   

保证，许诺，发誓( pledge的过去式和过去分词 )； 典当； 保证给予（或做）； 以誓言约束

参考例句：

• They have pledged that they will always remain faithful to each other. 他们发誓他们将永远忠诚于对方。
• The government pledged to rehouse the refugees. 政府许诺给难民提供新住房。

6 investing   

v.投资，花费( invest的现在分词 )；授予；（把资金）投入；投入（时间、精力等）

参考例句：

• He was timid about investing money. 他不敢投资。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Europe also caught the excitement of investing in American railroads. 欧洲人对投资美国铁路也极感兴趣。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件