新奇事件簿 网购所导致的烦恼

The huge surge in the popularity of online shopping is creating chaos¹ on the streets of our cities and on our road networks. As the number of online deliveries is skyrocketing, the number of delivery trucks making sure we get our parcels has also increased. The result is that hundreds more trucks are clogging² up city streets. This is increasing congestion³ and adding to levels of pollution. There are literally⁴ hundreds more delivery trucks in cities around the world all trying to get parcels delivered on time. Delivery drivers are battling for often non-existent parking spaces. Many are forced to park illegally, or double park, adding to the gridlock for other road users. And the problem is set to intensify⁵.

网购人数的激增让城市街道和道路网络混乱滋生。由于线上配送数量飙升，运送包裹的运货卡车数量也随之增加。而结果就是数百辆运货卡车堵在了城市街道之中，街道越来越堵，污染程度越来越严重。毫不夸张地说，各地城市有数百辆运货卡车都在尽力准时递送包裹。

配送司机也都在为紧张的停车位而斗争。许多配送司机被迫违法停车或并排停车，这就增加了其他道路使用者的堵塞。问题越演越烈。

The BBC reports that the volume of parcel deliveries surged by almost 50 per cent between 2014 and 2016. It said this could continue to increase by up to 28 per cent a year over the next three years. Many cities have taken tough measures to counteract⁶ the problems associated with the increasing number of deliveries. Many cities in Europe and Asia have barred deliveries during times when roads are busiest. London is looking at the possibility of using buses for parcel deliveries. Some areas of London are also cracking down on food delivery motorbikes after their streets were being 'swarmed⁷' by scooter riders. Food delivery companies in one London district must now apply for permission to operate.

BBC报道称2014年到2016年间，包裹配送数量几乎增加了50%。据称在接下来的三年中，其数量每年会增加28%。许多城市已采取了严厉的措施来缓解因配送增加而导致的各种问题。欧洲和亚洲的许多城市都在路段繁忙期间禁止配送货物。伦敦也正在寻求利用公车运送包裹的可能性。在街道挤满小摩托骑手后，伦敦的一些地区也对食物运输摩托车进行了管制。现在伦敦区的食品运输公司必须申请运营许可。

1 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

2 clogging   

堵塞，闭合

参考例句：

• This process suffers mainly from clogging the membrane. 这种过程的主要问题是滤膜的堵塞。
• And you know that eyewitness that's been clogging up the airwaves? 你知道那个充斥着电视广播的目击证人？

3 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 intensify   

vt.加强；变强；加剧

参考例句：

• We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
• They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻，保卫我国的领空。

6 counteract   

vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消

参考例句：

• The doctor gave him some medicine to counteract the effect of the poison.医生给他些药解毒。
• Our work calls for mutual support.We shouldn't counteract each other's efforts.工作要互相支持，不要互相拆台。

7 swarmed   

密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响，孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。
• When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下，人群就蜂拥回了旅社。