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(单词翻译)
By Paul Sisco
Washington, D.C.
26 July 2007
Representatives from American auto1 manufacturer General Motors recently were in Washington, D.C. to showcase the electric Chevy Volt2. GM says the vehicle will change the way people commute3, reducing emissions5 and America's dependence6 of foreign oil. VOA's Paul Sisco has today's Searching for Solutions report.
GM representatives say there are only two like it in the world, and one of the automakers joked that you could probably get this one for $5 million or so. The Chevy Volt is a concept car, dependent in part on technology under development.
Bob Boniface is one of the chief designers of the car.
The electric plug that charges the Chevy Volt |
To go beyond that there is a very small gas engine that does not drive the car, as it does in increasingly popular hybrid9 vehicles. Instead, it recharges the battery.
"It doesn't matter what the motor is in the car,” explains Boniface. “It's just something up there that generates electricity. It can be a fuel cell, it can be bio-diesel, it can be a squirrel on a treadmill10. It doesn't really matter. A hybrid vehicle, it's a very important distinction, a hybrid vehicle still has a gas engine that drives the wheels. This car does not have that."
graphic11, has not been approved yet" hspace="2" src="http://www.tingroom.com/upimg/allimg/070728/1110241.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" /> |
The Volt is not currently available because its battery, represented above by a 3D graphic, has not been approved yet |
"We can't just buy the battery and stick it in the car. It requires testing, engineering validation12 to make sure everything works right. All the things that make the car move are ready. We know how we are going to build the car -- we just have to make sure that the battery meets all our requirements."
U.S. Department of Transportation data show that 78 percent of commuters drive 40 miles or less to and from work. The GM representatives are quick to point out that commuting13 in a Concept Chevy Volt would be gas and emission4 free.
1 auto | |
n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车 | |
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2 volt | |
n.伏特,伏 | |
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3 commute | |
vi.乘车上下班;vt.减(刑);折合;n.上下班交通 | |
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4 emission | |
n.发出物,散发物;发出,散发 | |
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5 emissions | |
排放物( emission的名词复数 ); 散发物(尤指气体) | |
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6 dependence | |
n.依靠,依赖;信任,信赖;隶属 | |
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7 traction | |
n.牵引;附着摩擦力 | |
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8 outlet | |
n.出口/路;销路;批发商店;通风口;发泄 | |
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9 hybrid | |
n.(动,植)杂种,混合物 | |
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10 treadmill | |
n.踏车;单调的工作 | |
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11 graphic | |
adj.生动的,形象的,绘画的,文字的,图表的 | |
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12 validation | |
n.确认 | |
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13 commuting | |
交换(的) | |
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