VOA标准英语2014--纽约人分享闲置的自行车和汽车

 

New Yorkers Share Bikes and Cars to Get Around 纽约人分享闲置的自行车和汽车

NEW YORK— Cars, apartments, prom dresses and even surf boards. Those a just a few of the items people can rent directly from other private individuals in today’s robust¹ sharing economy, which was recently valued at $26 billion. The Internet makes peer-to-peer commerce easy with secure online payments, photos, reviews, and even social networking opportunities.  

With more than one billion cars in the world, RelayRides helps owners put their idle cars to work.

Anas Kasawat made more than $1,000 this month.

"I’ve always thought why can’t I rent my own car, and it was hard to find the right insurance, and no one would do it. So RelayRides was the perfect choice in the end," said Kasawat.

Security and safety are big concerns in the sharing economy.  The international ride sharing service "Uber" was recently criticized for not responding to customers' concerns regarding accidents and theft.

But RelayRide’s million-dollar policy helps build consumer confidence behind the wheel. Its unique inventory² of electric, luxury and stick shift models makes it fierce competition for traditional rental³ companies.

The software driven service is 35 percent less expensive than traditional rental companies in major metropolitan⁴ areas. But economics are only part of the reason people are using technology to share, says RelayRides CEO Andre Haddad.

"I think a lot of people are sensitive to their footprint. Their societal footprint, their environmental footprint, and, when you think about all the cars that are out there that could be better utilized⁵ and we’ll have less need for more cars, that also is a big motivation for a lot of our users in listing out their cars on RelayRides," said Haddad.

Daryn Swanson rents out his bikes on "Spinlister." For him, it’s all about connections and community.

"I just like the idea of sharing my things, I have three or four bikes and I don’t use them all at the same time, so I thought it was a good way to meet some people and share what I have," said Swanson.

For Spinlister’s Andrew Batey, the sharing economy means connecting like-minded people with a shared passion.  

“I really see that everywhere. We’re in 66 countries now. I could go to Bangladesh and feel the same way about biking as I do," said Batey.

And, when Swanson’s bike was not returned on time, he was pleased with Spinlister’s reaction.

“They were so good about it, they gave me a credit, and they were very helpful, like immediate⁶ responses. Part of that might be the size; they’re still pretty small, I believe, and you get a lot more personal attention with that," he said.

An independent survey commissioned by Spinlister says only 4 percent of Americans use even the most popular sharing services.

"That’s not a critical mass at all. I think that at the end of the day that companies that will be here in ten years in the sharing economy space are the ones that focus on customer service and making sure that everyone on both sides is as happy as possible," said Batey.

For now, bikers and drivers in New York can enjoy the ease and affordability⁷ of sharing. As the industry grows, though, its technology and services are likely to be challenged.

1 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

2 inventory   

n.详细目录，存货清单

参考例句：

• Some stores inventory their stock once a week.有些商店每周清点存货一次。
• We will need to call on our supplier to get more inventory.我们必须请供应商送来更多存货。

3 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

4 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

5 utilized   

v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the19th century waterpower was widely utilized to generate electricity. 在19世纪人们大规模使用水力来发电。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The empty building can be utilized for city storage. 可以利用那栋空建筑物作城市的仓库。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。