VOA慢速英语2019 为改善空气质量，印度首都限制汽车的使用（在线收听）

India’s Capital Restricts Car Use to Improve Air Quality

Indian officials have banned half of all private vehicles from operating in the capital, New Delhi, because of poor air quality.

由于空气质量不佳，印度官员已经禁止一半的私家车在首都新德里行驶。 

An order announced Monday creates a system based on vehicle license numbers to restrict personal car use on New Delhi’s roads.

这项命令于周一宣布，创建了一个基于车牌号码的系统，以限制新德里道路上的私家车使用。 

Vehicles with odd number license plates are permitted to operate only on odd numbered dates, such as five, seven and nine.

车牌号码为奇数的车辆只允许在奇数日期(如5号、7号和9号)行驶。 

Those with even numbers can be driven in the city only on even dates, such as six, eight and 10.

那些偶数号的车只能在偶数日(如6日、8日和10日)在市内行驶。 

Officials estimate the new rule will keep about 1.2 million registered vehicles off the roads each day.

官员们估计，新规每天将使约120万辆注册车辆无法上路。 

More than 600 police teams were deployed around the capital with the power to hand out $60 fines to drivers failing to obey the law.

首都周围部署了600多支警察队伍，他们有权对不遵守这一法律的司机处以60美元的罚款。 

Officials said the measure will remain in place until at least November 15.

有关官员说，这项措施将至少持续到11月15日。 

The ban does not affect New Delhi’s seven million motorcycles and scooters or public transportation vehicles.

这项禁令并不影响新德里的700万辆摩托车、小型摩托车或公共交通工具。 

The restrictions were ordered as the city government declared a public health emergency because of pollution levels.

由于污染严重，市政府宣布进入公共卫生紧急状态。这才出台了这一禁令。 

India’s Central Pollution Control Board said on Sunday the average air quality index, or AQI, for New Delhi was at 494, the highest level since November 2016, when it reached 497.

印度中央污染控制委员会周日表示，新德里的平均空气质量指数(AQI)为494，这是自2016年11月达到497以来的最高水平。

The AQI is considered good when the number is below 50, and “satisfactory” when it stays under 100.

当数值低于50时，AQI被认为是好的，当数值低于100时，AQI被认为是“令人满意的”。 

AQI levels between 301 and 500 are considered "hazardous" for all population groups.

当数值在301到500之间被认为对所有人群都是“危险”的。 

Air pollution levels across northern India reach their highest level before winter as farmers set fire to clear their fields after the harvest.

因农民们在收获后放火清理田地，印度北部的空气污染水平在冬季之前达到最高水平。 

In New Delhi, air quality is also affected by Diwali.

新德里的空气质量也受到排灯节的影响。 

The Hindu religious holiday is celebrated around this time of year and includes the widespread lighting of fireworks.

这一印度宗教节日大约在每年的这个时候庆祝，包括大量燃放烟花。 

Information released by the World Health Organization last year showed that India had the world’s 10 most polluted cities.

世界卫生组织去年发布的信息显示，印度拥有世界十大污染最严重的城市。 

Delhi’s chief minister Arvind Kejriwal spoke about the latest air quality in a video published on Twitter.

德里首席部长阿温德·科基瓦尔在推特上发布的视频中谈到了最新的空气质量。 

There is smoke everywhere and people, including youngsters, kids, elderly are finding it difficult to breathe, he said.

他说：“到处都是烟，包括年轻人、小孩、老人在内，大家都觉得呼吸困难。” 

Eyes are burning. Pollution is that bad.

“眼睛里都在冒火。污染就是这么严重。” 

The Indian government has blamed more than half the capital’s air pollution on emissions from vehicles and industry operations.

印度政府将首都新德里一半以上的空气污染归咎于汽车和工业活动排放的废气。 

In other measures, officials ordered a temporary ban on work at building projects and schools were closed until Wednesday.

还有一些其他措施：官员们下令建筑项目暂停施工，学校停课至周三。 

India’s Supreme Court called Monday for state governments to take steps to reduce worsening air quality that it said “could not be allowed in a civilized country.”

印度最高法院于星期一呼吁各邦政府采取措施，减少不断恶化的空气质量。印度最高法院说，“一个文明国家不允许空气质量恶化。”

The court added, “This can’t go on. People aren’t safe even inside their houses and rooms.”

法院补充说：“不能再这样下去了。人们甚至在自己家和房间里也不安全。”