Listening Power
distracted (a) 分心的;思想不集中的
Research has shown that most deadly vehicle accidents are related to distracted drivers.
研究指出,大多重大傷亡車禍都與駕駛不專心有關。 casualty (n) (軍隊)傷亡的人員;(災難、事故)死者,傷者
The passage of the law banning texting while driving will effectively reduce road casualties.
通過禁止開車時傳簡訊的法律,可以有效減少交通事故的死傷人數。
prohibit (v) 禁止
法律禁止的行為,可以直接加在後面,如 prohibit smoking; prohibit texting while driving。也可以加上「對象」與「行為」並用,prohibit somebody from doing something: prohibit teenagers from smoking, to prohibit hunters from poaching(盜獵)。
Mass transit drivers will be prohibited from carrying any mobile devices on the job once the law takes effect.
一旦法律生效,大眾運輸的駕駛會被禁止在工作時攜帶任何的通訊工具。
tempting (a) 誘惑人的;吸引人
Carrying a cell phone right in your pocket is far too tempting for most of the drivers on the road.
身上攜帶的手機對大多數上路的駕駛來說都是非常難以抵抗的誘惑。
the last straw (n. phr.) 最後一根稻草; 最後一擊
the last straw通常都是指帶往最壞的局面的「最後一擊」。但在本新聞裡的使用,the last straw是指因為使用手機而導致的重大交通事故。而這「最後一擊」卻不是帶往更壞的局面,而是促使通過禁帶通訊設備的法規的最後一擊。
slam into (v. phr.) 猛烈的撞擊
John was talking to his wife on the hands-free phone system while he slammed into a traffic sign.
約翰撞上交通號誌的時候,他正使用手機的免持聽筒系統跟他老婆通話。
suspended (a) 暫時停止職務
The bus driver under investigation is currently suspended after incurring a serious road accident.
在引起嚴重交通事故後,這名公車司機正接受調查,並且被暫停職務。
outlaw (v) 宣佈...為不合法
The Department of Transportation’s attempt to outlaw texting while driving will be welcome news to most of us.
交通部要明文禁止開車傳簡訊對我們來說是個好消息。
fatal (a) 致命的
Drunken driving often leads to fatal vehicle accidents, causing many casualties.
酒醉駕車常導致致命車禍,造成許多人員傷亡。
Expressions in the news
need to act 必須採取行動
ban somebody from doing something 禁止…從事…
"The Secretary of Transportation told MSNBC news the congress needs to act. He wants a law that would ban them [mass transit drivers] from even carrying a mobile device on the job."
交通部部長告訴MSNBC,表示國會必須採取行動了。他想要禁止大眾運輸駕駛值班時攜帶任何通訊設備的法律。
lose focus 分心
make sure 確保
"You cannot be texting. You cannot lose focus. It’s about making sure you get your passengers to where they need to be safely and efficiently."
你不可以傳簡訊。你不可以分心。你必須確保你的乘客可以安全的、迅速的到達他們的目的地。
zero tolerance 決不寬待
in somebody’s hands 操之在…手裡
"Whether it’s a light rail, whether it’s a train, or whether it’s a bus, zero tolerance for any of that [texting while driving]. These people have the lives of these passengers in their hands."
無論是駕駛輕軌列車、火車、公車,傳簡訊是絕對不被容許的。乘客的性命都操之在駕駛的手中。
…at best…at worst 要嘛就是…不然就是…
"We believe that texting while driving should be banned. You have to be foolish at best, or delusional at worst, to think that you can safely and effectively drive a motor vehicle and text a message at the same time."
我們相信開車時傳簡訊的行為必須被禁止。你要不是太愚蠢,不然就是不切實際的認為你可以安全而確實的一邊開車,一邊傳簡訊。
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