随着共享单车的出现和普及，似乎有越来越多的人开始选择骑车出行。在一些城市中，骑行文化逐渐兴起。这是为什么？除了锻炼身体以外，骑车还有哪些好处？听 “随身英语” 节目围绕骑自行车的益处展开讨论。

词汇: cycling 骑车

They say once you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget. Most of us learnt when we were kids, and many still strap on our helmets, put our feet on the pedals, and shoot off for a ride around the streets. In recent times, cycling has seen a boost in popularity, so the question is, what makes it so appealing to people to straddle their bikes once again?

First, let’s look at the health benefits. Cycling can improve your cardiovascular health and burn excess body fat. Strengthening your leg muscles in your calves and thighs helps to increase your potential torque and cadence. And cycling’s benefits aren’t just physical, but mental as well. A long ride in the countryside could help you to clear your mind, or de-stress. But it’s not only about your body and mind – there are also some plus sides for your wallet’s health.

Cycling can be a great way to commute or get about town. By cycling, you save money on fuel or train fares. If you do drive into work, sometimes finding somewhere to park can be a nightmare, whereas finding somewhere to chain your bike up can be much simpler. Then, on the train, there are changes at stations and other commuters speaking loudly on their phones to deal with. Cyclists face neither of these issues. And if you’re worried about safety, there are designated cycle lanes in many major cities. Wearing high-visibility clothing, sometimes referred to as ‘hi-vis’, is another way to improve your safety when cycling on the roads.

Finally, cycling can also be good for the environment. It can help you to reduce your carbon footprint. Not pumping out fumes into the atmosphere is better for the planet and your own environment.

So, whether people want to cycle for their health, getting about town, their wallet, the environment, or a combination of all of them – the popularity of cycling is on the rise.

词汇表

strap on 系上，系好
helmet 头盔，安全帽
pedal 脚蹬子，脚踏板
shoot off 快速骑走
straddle 骑，跨坐
cardiovascular 心血管的
burn 燃烧
body fat 体脂
calf 小腿肚
thigh 大腿
torque 扭转力
cadence 节奏，韵律
commute 上下班往返，通勤
get about 出行，外出走动
fare 车费
chain （用链条）锁住
cycle lane 自行车道
high-visibility 高能见度
carbon footprint 碳足迹

测验与练习

1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What health benefits are mentioned in relation to cycling?

2. What can strengthening your leg muscles through cycling lead to?

3. What can cycling help you to save money on?

4. What issues related to train travel are mentioned?

5. Why is cycling good for the environment?

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. Come on, _______ your helmet and let’s go for a ride.

strap on                 torque                 cadence               fare   

2. My _______ to work is really peaceful as not many people travel at the same time as me.

calf                        commute             body fat                burn

3. When cycling, always try to stay in the cycle _______. It’s safer.

straddle                 burn                    lanes                     body fat   

4. The train _______ is so expensive that I can’t afford it this weekend.

torque                   fare                      calf                        burn   

5. I want to buy a bike to help me _______ town more easily.

thigh                      pedal                   strap on                 get about

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。 

1. What health benefits are mentioned in relation to cycling?
It can help you to burn excess fat, improve cardiovascular fitness, strengthen leg muscles, and lose weight. It can also help to improve your mental health.

2. What can strengthening your leg muscles through cycling lead to?
Improved torque and cadence.

3. What can cycling help you to save money on?
You can save on petrol costs and train fares.

4. What issues related to train travel are mentioned?
Noisy commuters and platform changes.

5. Why is cycling good for the environment?
Because it helps you to lower your carbon footprint.

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. Come on, strap on your helmet and let’s go for a ride.

2. My commute to work is really peaceful as not many people travel at the same time as me.

3. When cycling, always try to stay in the cycle lanes. It’s safer.

4. The train fare is so expensive that I can’t afford it this weekend.

5. I want to buy a bike to help me get about town more easily.