VOA慢速英语--瑞士开通了世界最长最深铁路隧道

AS IT IS 2016-06-02 Switzerland Opens World’s Longest, Deepest Rail Tunnel¹ 瑞士开通了世界最长最深铁路隧道

Switzerland has opened the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel, 17 years after starting work on the project.

The Gotthard Railway Tunnel is 57 kilometers long. Trains passing through it will be about 2.3 kilometers underground at the deepest point.

The tunnel cost $12 billion to build under the Alps² of central Switzerland.

The tunnel will reduce the time it takes trains to travel between northern and southern Europe. It is also expected to lower³ the number of vehicles⁴ on roads, and move cargo⁵ between north and south.

Many large trucks now carry goods through Europe. The trucks pollute the air.

The two-way tunnel opens for commercial⁶ service in December. When that happens, up to 260 freight⁷ trains and 65 passenger trains will be able to pass through it every day.

German Chancellor⁸ Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime⁹ Minister Matteo Renzi were at the opening ceremony on Wednesday. There were also musical bands and dancers. To celebrate the event, a special song was even written for the tunnel.

The new tunnel will have an effect on Switzerland and the rest of Europe for years to come.

Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. But some EU member countries have helped pay for, design and build the tunnel. The tunnel is expected to help the EU railway network -- especially traffic between Germany and Italy.

The tunnel stretches from the German-speaking town of Erstfeld in the north to the Italian-speaking town of Bodio in the south.

Words in This Story

tunnel – n. a passage that goes under the ground, through a hill, etc.

cargo – n. something that is carried from one place to another by boat, airplane, etc.

commercial – adj. related¹⁰ to or used in the buying and selling of goods and services; concerned with earning money

freight – adj. goods that are carried by ships, trains, trucks or airplanes

1 tunnel   

n.隧道，地下道；vi.挖隧道；vt.掘隧道于

参考例句：

• They will have to block up the entrance to the tunnel.他们将不得不封闭通往隧道的入口。
• The train passed through a tunnel.火车通过了一条隧道。

2 Alps   

n.[the-]阿尔卑斯山脉(欧洲)

参考例句：

• I'm going skating in the Alps next month.下个月我去阿尔卑斯山滑雪。
• The river springs in the Alps.这条河发源于阿尔卑斯山脉。

3 lower   

adj.较低的；地位较低的，低等的；低年级的；下游的；vt.放下，降下，放低；减低

参考例句：

• Society is divided into upper,middle and lower classes.社会分为上层、中层和下层阶级。
• This price is his minimum;he refuses to lower it any further.这个价格是他开的最低价，他拒绝再作任何降价。

4 vehicles   

n.运载工具；传播媒介；（为展露演员才华而）特意编写的一出戏（或电影等）；[画]展色剂；交通工具( vehicle的名词复数 )；车辆；传播媒介；手段

参考例句：

• There is not much clearance for vehicles passing under this bridge. 车辆在这座桥下通过时没有多少余隙。
• to carry out random spot checks on vehicles 对车辆进行抽检

5 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

6 commercial   

adj.商业的，商用的，商品化的；n.广告节目

参考例句：

• He has gained a footing in the commercial world.他已在商界取得立足之地。
• The plane did not fly the usual commercial route.飞机没有沿通常的商业航线飞。

7 freight   

n.货物，货运；vt.运送（货物）看，装货于

参考例句：

• Tons of freight were flown into this airport every day.每天有许多吨货物被空运到这个机场。
• There is ten yuan in the bill for freight.发票中包括运费十元。

8 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

9 prime   

adj.首要的，主要的；最好的，第一流的

参考例句：

• The prime minister spoke of the general insecurity in the country.总理谈到了全国普遍存在的不安全。
• He met with the Prime Minister of Japan for an hour.他和日本首相会见了一个小时。

10 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。