中國網站品牌欄目（頻道）
英語學習論壇的“聽力練習區”正式與大家見面啦。歡迎大家來這里練習聽力，交流經驗，共同進步。
本練習區的音頻文件選自英語點津的“聽中國日報”、“VOA常速”、“流行金曲”及“名人演講”等欄目，題材豐富，難度各異，適合不同階段的英語學習者。
英語點津會定期發布音頻材料，大家可以在跟帖中貼出自己聽寫出的音頻文字稿。每個音頻材料的標準文字稿會在帖子發布兩天后公布。
Beijingers have the longest commutes of any city dwellers in China, spending an average of one hour to and from work, according to a study released on Saturday.
Experts warned that the lengthy transportation times in many cities showed that the "development of traffic systems is lagging behind urbanization".
Calculations by the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that Beijing tops 50 major cities in commuting times - 52 minutes on average.
The southern economic hub of Guangzhou, the eastern financial center of Shanghai and the booming southern city of Shenzhen followed the capital closely with 48, 47 and 46 minutes, respectively.
Residents from 17 cities, out of a total 50 cities analyzed, spend more than 30 minutes in traffic.
Researcher Niu Wenyuan led the project of writing the "2010 Report on New Chinese Model of Urbanization", which was released on Saturday and included a calculation of traffic times.
Besides the highlighted urbanization problems, Beijing has seen a massive influx of migrants who cram the metro system and vehicles that paralyze the road system.
More than 22 million people are living in the capital city. But the original plan of the municipal government was to contain the total population to less than 18 million by 2020.
The total number of cars registered in the first four months of 2010 rose 23.8 percent from a year earlier, to 248,000, according to the Beijing municipal taxation office.
The increase rate will put the city on course to have 5 million cars on the roads by year's end.
Li Kang, a 28-year-old Beijing local, said her home is only five km away from her workplace in Guomao (international trade center), but it takes a taxi 40 minutes to "creep there".
Many netizens claiming to spend far more than 52 minutes commuting suggested "strict traffic control that was once employed during the 2008 Olympic Games should be reactivated".
Questions:
1 How long is the average commute for Beijingers?
2 What does it mean?
3 How many cars are registered in Beijing?
Answers:
1. About one hour – 52 minutes.
2. Experts say the lengthy transportation times in many cities showed that the "development of traffic systems is lagging behind urbanization."
3. The total number of cars registered in the first four months of 2010 rose 23.8 percent from a year earlier, to 248,000. The increase rate will put the city on course to have 5 million cars on the roads by year's end.
（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Nelly Min is an editor at China Daily with more than 10 years of experience as a newspaper editor and photographer. She has worked at major newspapers in the U.S., including the Los Angeles Times and the Detroit Free Press. She is fluent in Korean and has a 2-year-old son.
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