City News: Metro Line 3 Opened Yesterday

我们城市的地铁三号线昨天早上六点正式开始使用。

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) chéngshì (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) sān (first tone, high and level) hào (fourth tone, falling) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) zuótiān (second tone, rising) zǎoshang (third tone, dipping) liù (fourth tone, falling) diǎn (third tone, dipping) zhèngshì (fourth tone, falling) kāishǐ (first tone, high and level) shǐyòng. (third tone, dipping)

The city’s metro line 3 formally entered service at six o’clock yesterday morning.

三号线一共有十八个站，从城市的东边到西边，长二十六公里。

Sān (first tone, high and level) hào (fourth tone, falling) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) yígòng (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shíbā (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) zhàn, (fourth tone, falling) cóng (second tone, rising) chéngshì (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) dōngbian (first tone, high and level) dào (fourth tone, falling) xībian, (first tone, high and level) cháng (second tone, rising) èrshíliù (fourth tone, falling) gōnglǐ. (first tone, high and level)

The line has eighteen stations and runs twenty-six kilometres from the east of the city to the west.

以前从东边到西边坐公共汽车差不多要一个小时。

Yǐqián (third tone, dipping) cóng (second tone, rising) dōngbian (first tone, high and level) dào (fourth tone, falling) xībian (first tone, high and level) zuò (fourth tone, falling) gōnggòng (first tone, high and level) qìchē (fourth tone, falling) chàbuduō (fourth tone, falling) yào (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) xiǎoshí. (third tone, dipping)

The same journey by bus used to take about an hour.

现在坐地铁只要三十分钟。

Xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) sānshí (first tone, high and level) fēnzhōng. (first tone, high and level)

By metro it now takes only thirty minutes.

地铁公司说，三号线每天早上六点开始，晚上十一点结束。

Dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) gōngsī (first tone, high and level) shuō, (first tone, high and level) sān (first tone, high and level) hào (fourth tone, falling) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) zǎoshang (third tone, dipping) liù (fourth tone, falling) diǎn (third tone, dipping) kāishǐ, (first tone, high and level) wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) shíyī (second tone, rising) diǎn (third tone, dipping) jiéshù. (second tone, rising)

The metro company says the line runs daily from six in the morning until eleven at night.

从三号线的中心站可以换二号线，去火车站和机场都很方便。

Cóng (second tone, rising) sān (first tone, high and level) hào (fourth tone, falling) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) zhōngxīn (first tone, high and level) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) huàn (fourth tone, falling) èr (fourth tone, falling) hào (fourth tone, falling) xiàn, (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) huǒchēzhàn (third tone, dipping) hé (second tone, rising) jīchǎng (first tone, high and level) dōu (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) fāngbiàn. (first tone, high and level)

Passengers can change to line 2 at the central station, which makes the railway station and the airport easy to reach.

票价是两块到六块，坐得越远，票价越高。

Piàojià (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) liǎng (third tone, dipping) kuài (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) liù (fourth tone, falling) kuài, (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) yuǎn, (third tone, dipping) piàojià (fourth tone, falling) yuè (fourth tone, falling) gāo. (first tone, high and level)

Fares run from two to six yuan: the further you travel, the more you pay.

用手机就可以进站，不用买票。

Yòng (fourth tone, falling) shǒujī (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) jìn (fourth tone, falling) zhàn, (fourth tone, falling) búyòng (second tone, rising) mǎi (third tone, dipping) piào. (fourth tone, falling)

A phone is enough to get through the gates — no ticket needed.

昨天早上，很多人很早就来到地铁站。

Zuótiān (second tone, rising) zǎoshang, (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) rén (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) zǎo (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) dào (fourth tone, falling) dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) zhàn. (fourth tone, falling)

Yesterday morning many people turned up at the stations well before opening.

记者在东边的第一个站看到，六点以前门外面已经有一百多人。

Jìzhě (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) dōngbian (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) dì (fourth tone, falling) yī (first tone, high and level) ge (neutral tone) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) kàndào, (fourth tone, falling) liù (fourth tone, falling) diǎn (third tone, dipping) yǐqián (third tone, dipping) mén (second tone, rising) wàimiàn (fourth tone, falling) yǐjīng (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yìbǎi (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) rén. (second tone, rising)

At the first station in the east, our reporter counted over a hundred people outside the doors before six.

一位四十多岁的先生对记者说：“我在这条路上开了十年车，天天堵车。”

Yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) sìshí (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) suì (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) xiānsheng (first tone, high and level) duì (fourth tone, falling) jìzhě (fourth tone, falling) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) zhè (fourth tone, falling) tiáo (second tone, rising) lù (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) kāi (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) shí (second tone, rising) nián (second tone, rising) chē, (first tone, high and level) tiāntiān (first tone, high and level) dǔchē.” (third tone, dipping)

A man in his forties told us, “I have driven this road for ten years, and it is jammed every single day.”

“以后我可以坐地铁上班，能多睡半个小时。”

“Yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) shàngbān, (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) duō (first tone, high and level) shuì (fourth tone, falling) bàn (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) xiǎoshí.” (third tone, dipping)

“From now on I can take the metro to work and get half an hour more sleep.”

一位在附近学校教书的老师说，她的很多学生也住在西边。

Yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) fùjìn (fourth tone, falling) xuéxiào (second tone, rising) jiāo (first tone, high and level) shū (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) lǎoshī (third tone, dipping) shuō, (first tone, high and level) tā (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) xuésheng (second tone, rising) yě (third tone, dipping) zhù (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) xībian. (first tone, high and level)

A teacher at a nearby school said many of her pupils live in the west of the city.

“以前孩子们要坐两次公共汽车才能到学校，现在坐地铁就可以了。”

“Yǐqián (third tone, dipping) háizimen (second tone, rising) yào (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) liǎng (third tone, dipping) cì (fourth tone, falling) gōnggòng (first tone, high and level) qìchē (fourth tone, falling) cái (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) dào (fourth tone, falling) xuéxiào, (second tone, rising) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) le.” (neutral tone)

“The children used to need two buses to reach school; now the metro is enough.”

地铁公司还说，三号线的每个站都有电梯，老人和带孩子的人上下都很方便。

Dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) gōngsī (first tone, high and level) hái (second tone, rising) shuō, (first tone, high and level) sān (first tone, high and level) hào (fourth tone, falling) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) měi (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) dōu (first tone, high and level) yǒu (third tone, dipping) diàntī, (fourth tone, falling) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) hé (second tone, rising) dài (fourth tone, falling) háizi (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) shàng (fourth tone, falling) xià (fourth tone, falling) dōu (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) fāngbiàn. (first tone, high and level)

The company adds that every station on the line has a lift, which helps older passengers and those with children.

每个站的外面还有停自行车的地方。

Měi (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) zhàn (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) wàimiàn (fourth tone, falling) hái (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) tíng (second tone, rising) zìxíngchē (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) dìfang. (fourth tone, falling)

There is also bicycle parking outside each station.

城市里的交通问题这几年越来越大。

Chéngshì (second tone, rising) lǐ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) jiāotōng (first tone, high and level) wèntí (fourth tone, falling) zhè (fourth tone, falling) jǐ (third tone, dipping) nián (second tone, rising) yuè (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising) yuè (fourth tone, falling) dà. (fourth tone, falling)

The city’s traffic problems have grown steadily worse in recent years.

有人认为，只有地铁多了，路上的车才会少一些。

Yǒu (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) rènwéi, (fourth tone, falling) zhǐyǒu (third tone, dipping) dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) le, (neutral tone) lù (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) chē (first tone, high and level) cái (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) shǎo (third tone, dipping) yìxiē. (fourth tone, falling)

Some argue that only more metro lines will put fewer cars on the road.

路上的车少了，空气也会好一点儿。

Lù (fourth tone, falling) shang (neutral tone) de (neutral tone) chē (first tone, high and level) shǎo (third tone, dipping) le, (neutral tone) kōngqì (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) yìdiǎnr. (fourth tone, falling)

Fewer cars would also mean cleaner air.

但是也有人担心，三号线经过的地方以后会更热闹，房子的价格也可能会高起来。

Dànshì (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) dānxīn, (first tone, high and level) sān (first tone, high and level) hào (fourth tone, falling) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) jīngguò (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) dìfang (fourth tone, falling) yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling) gèng (fourth tone, falling) rènao, (fourth tone, falling) fángzi (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) jiàgé (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) kěnéng (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling) gāo (first tone, high and level) qǐlái. (third tone, dipping)

Others worry that the areas the line passes through will get busier, and that housing prices may rise.

一位住在这儿三十年的老人说：“方便当然好，可是我也怕这儿以后人太多。”

Yí (second tone, rising) wèi (fourth tone, falling) zhù (fourth tone, falling) zài (fourth tone, falling) zhèr (fourth tone, falling) sānshí (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) lǎorén (third tone, dipping) shuō: (first tone, high and level) “Fāngbiàn (first tone, high and level) dāngrán (first tone, high and level) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) kěshì (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yě (third tone, dipping) pà (fourth tone, falling) zhèr (fourth tone, falling) yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) tài (fourth tone, falling) duō.” (first tone, high and level)

A resident of thirty years said, “Convenience is all very well, but I am afraid this place will get too crowded.”

地铁公司告诉记者，第四条线正在计划中，可能三年以后开始使用。

Dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) gōngsī (first tone, high and level) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) jìzhě, (fourth tone, falling) dì (fourth tone, falling) sì (fourth tone, falling) tiáo (second tone, rising) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) zhèngzài (fourth tone, falling) jìhuà (fourth tone, falling) zhōng, (first tone, high and level) kěnéng (third tone, dipping) sān (first tone, high and level) nián (second tone, rising) yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) kāishǐ (first tone, high and level) shǐyòng. (third tone, dipping)

The metro company told us a fourth line is being planned and may open in about three years.

城市里的人现在可以用三条地铁线去很多地方。

Chéngshì (second tone, rising) lǐ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) yòng (fourth tone, falling) sān (first tone, high and level) tiáo (second tone, rising) dìtiě (fourth tone, falling) xiàn (fourth tone, falling) qù (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) dìfang. (fourth tone, falling)

City residents can now reach a great many places on three metro lines.

对很多每天上班的人来说，昨天是一个不小的变化。

Duì (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) shàngbān (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) rén (second tone, rising) lái (second tone, rising) shuō, (first tone, high and level) zuótiān (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) bù (fourth tone, falling) xiǎo (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) biànhuà. (fourth tone, falling)

For a great many daily commuters, yesterday marked a considerable change.