Millions of Chinese Head Home for Chinese New Year
數百萬中國人返鄉過年
By Daniel Chen
【新聞關鍵字】
1. Lunar New Year ph. 農曆新年
2. packed adj. 擠得滿滿的
3. brace for v. 嚴陣以待
4. express train ph. 快車
5. migrant workers ph. 農民工
6. Spring Festival ph. 春節
Millions of Chinese have started traveling home ahead of the lunar New Year holiday this month.
在本月，有數百萬的中國人已經開始提前在農曆假期前搭車返鄉。
Trains in the nation will be packed, with railway stations bracing themselves for as many as 210 million passengers during the week-long holiday.
在長達一周的假期內，全國的火車都將擠得滿滿的，鐵路車站嚴陣以待高達兩億一千萬的載客人次。
Crowds of people are lining at counters at Beijing’s West Railway station hoping to get a ticket home.
眾多民眾都排隊等在北京西客站櫃檯，希望可以趕快回家。
[Dong Fang, Student]:
“It’s not easy to buy tickets. I wanted to buy a ticket on the 7th, but the tickets had already been sold out. There are only tickets for slow trains, no tickets available for the express train. That means I have to sit 12 more hours because I’m taking the slow train."
[董芳，學生]：
「票很難買呀。我本來想買七號的票，但早就賣光了。只剩下慢車，沒有快車的票了。因為我搭慢車，所以比快車要多坐個十二小時。」
For many of the millions of China’s migrant workers, the Spring Festival holidays are the only opportunity they get to see their families back home.
對於許多在中國數以百萬計的農民工來說，春節假期是他們唯一可以回家見家人的機會。
[Hu, Passenger]:
“I am traveling back home to see my parents. They are expecting me home. This is probably the only time I can be with them each year and my family is great. Nowadays, travel is very convenient."
[胡先生，乘客]：
「我要回家看我父母。他們在等我回家。這大概是我每年能和他們相處的唯一的時間。家裡也挺好的。現在交通也很方便。」
Crowded departures are just the beginning though, as the end of the holiday is expected to be just as busy, with millions returning to their jobs in the nation’s big cities.
擁擠的返鄉潮僅僅是個開始，隨著年底假期結束，交通預計將同樣繁忙，因為到時也將是數百萬人返回全國的大城市工作。
本新聞影音出處：新唐人電視台英語新聞
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_china/2010-02-01/562506317169.html
【聽力加強訓練】聲音詞組烙印
以下每個詞組請念3次，再聽聽看是否清楚多了！
1. with railway stations bracing themselves for as many as 210 million passengers
2. hoping to get a ticket home.
3. Crowds of people are lining at counters
4. no tickets available for the express train.
5. Crowded departures are just the beginning though