[英文 怎麼說] Let's ride!- 集運動、通勤、環保和玩樂於一身的腳踏車騎士

Let's ride!- 集運動、通勤、環保和玩樂於一身的腳踏車騎士
腳踏車當作都市交通工具在全球都很流行，之前在倫敦的路上也看到很多腳踏車通勤族，台北使用率很高的Ubike，清大最近也在校園裡提出T-bike的公共腳踏車的服務。為此都市的相關配套建設很重要，畢竟相較速度很快的機汽車，腳踏車的安全性相對低很多。這篇文章集結了三個有關腳踏車的小報導，從都市通勤、製作反光貼紙的新創公司還有美國登山車道的好去處，可以說是把和腳踏車相關的話題都包辦了。對腳踏車有興趣的人，可以在這一篇學到很多和腳踏車相關的單字。

文章談到很多關於安全的問題，除了公共建設以外，騎士也要穿戴好安全帽，遵守交通規則，像是不可以邊騎邊使用手機、禮讓行人等。台灣交通部為腳踏車的盛行新增了很多相關法規，常常在ICRT裡的廣告聽到。

可惜除了上次去台北和朋友在大安森林公園騎U-bike，腳踏車的記憶就要回朔到國中上下課的日子了。腳踏車也是一個很好的運動，看文章寫的登山車道，在大峽谷和平原間騎車，很有挑戰性又吸引人。其中一個參與講解的外國人，還推薦台北在大直往士林似乎也有高山車道，沒去過自行車騎士(Cyclist)可以去試試! 雖然我也不知道實際在哪裡，哈哈。內文還有推薦騎車可以背郵差包，假如公司比較沒這麼嚴格的話，有些自行車衣直接穿去上班應該也還算適合，通勤就不用麻煩換衣服。

本篇經典句節錄每天用腳通車通勤的Neil Jenkins，看看他怎麼推薦我們騎腳踏車上班。另外，很多和腳踏車相關的單字也有把它整理出來，有興趣的人可以在下面Vocabulary list的部分看看。

"If you have a desk job and have a chance to ride on the Greenbelt twice a day, why wouldn't you?"

原文報導1: Fiks:Reflective makes bike safety attractive
原文報導2: Commuting by bike mixes work, exercise and play
原文報導3: Washington’s top 10 mountain-bike rides

Interesting Word:
1. stand/stick out like a sore thumb 顯眼的、引人注目的
我們的五隻手指，大拇指最短，在外觀上最容易被注意到
所以這句片語字面上就是形容，像大拇指一樣顯眼
Ex: Be visible. I want to stand out like a sore thumb

2. take a toll on sth 損耗 = wear out
toll(名詞)常見的意思是收費，例如高速公路的通行費用。
另一個意思是損失、傷亡，如death toll=死傷人數
在這個片語比較接近損失的意思，但好像都說得通 哈
Ex: Frequent commuting takes a toll on a bikes's brakes, drivertrain, and tires.

3. put a damper on: 掃興
damper是令人掃性的人事物，也可以說是搗亂者
幾乎都和這個片語一起出現
Ex: A heavy backpack will cause shoulder and neck pain and puut a damper on your commute.


Vocabulary List (Data Base):
Bicycle-related words:
1. reflective stickers: 夜光貼紙、反光貼
2. wheel rim: 輪框
3. bike frame: 車架
4. helmet:安全帽
Ex: "Fiks: Reflective makes reflective stickers that affix to wheel rims. The company also makes stickers for helmets and bike frames that come in sevreal colors."

5. swap tries: 換輪胎
6. raise handlebars: 提高手把
Ex: "You have to make some adjustments like changing to a more comfortable seat, swapping tires or raising handlebars to give yourself an upright riding position."

7. sealant: 密封膠
8. tube: 內胎
Ex: "Make sure your tires are in good shape and put sealant in the tubes."

9. gravel road:石頭路
10: retrace: 原路折返
Ex: "There are some stairs and a few miles of gravel road. Let's turn around and retrace our ride."

11. round trip: 來回、往返
12. trail: 車道、小徑
Ex: "Trails can be ridden as a round trip or combined into loops"

13. physically demanding: 累人的、吃力的
14. fit: 健壯的 =healthy and strong
Ex: "It's a physically demanding ride, but worth the effort for fit and experienced rider."

15. brakes: 剎車
16. drivertrain:傳動鍊、車鍊
Ex: "Frequent commuting takes a toll on a bikes's brakes, drivertrain, and tires."

Other words:
1. stem from: 起於、源自於 = come from
Nick Drombosky's business idea stemmed from a simple principle.

2. affix: 黏貼、固定
The company makes reflective stickers that affix to bike frame.

3. stumble: 跌跌撞撞、艱困時期 =hard time, setback
Drombosky admits to a stumble when he was getting the business up and running.

4. box stores: 大型賣場 如Costco, 家樂福、大潤發等

5. distributer: 經銷商
The distributor was an importer for a bunch of big European box stores.

6. snafu: 混亂局面、一事無成的時期 (此單字較少見)
But after the initial snafu, he kept interest alive with Facebook and Instagram.

7. hoodies: 連帽衫、帽T
He expanded the line to include reflective T-shirts, hoodies and caps.

8. understatement: 輕描淡寫、保守謙虛的說法
To say he lives frugally is an uderstandment.

9. tumble: 摔跤、跌一跤 =fall down
He has taken a tumble on ice.

10. hazard: 危險 = danger
He knows about the hazards of heavy traffic.

11. courteous: (表現地)有禮貌
Slow down when the trail is busy and be courteous

12. stretch: 原本是延伸的意思，也可表示離譜、誇張、難以置信
Maybe it's a stretch to say flat-proof, but you can prevent flats.

13. blowout: 爆胎
My tires have a blowout.

14. continental United States: 美國本土境內，指不包含夏威夷和阿拉斯加州
Washington is the best place to be a mountain biker in the continental United States.

15. interim: 在交界邊，指暫時的、過渡時期的 =temporary
Glover came to this nonprofit as interim executive director.

16. stint: 某一特定期間，表從事某職位為期多久的時間
He agree on a three-to-six-month stint until replacement could be found.

17. plain:平原

18: canyon: 峽谷

19. starkly: 顯而易見的、十分明顯的 = obviously (此單字較少見)

20. eruption: 火山爆發
The plain was devastated by the 1980 eruption.

21. alpine: 高山的
It's a challenging alpine trails.

22. stellar: 絕佳的、優秀的
This area offers miles of stellar trails to explore.

23. gem: 寶地、難得可貴的事物
This privately owned forest is a gem.

24. up and running: 運行、運轉、營運
Get the business up and running

25. frugally: 節儉的、節省的 (有正面稱讚的意味)
To say he lives frugally is an understatement

26. stingy: 吝嗇的、小氣的(有負面的意味)


(Reading article is It's All About the Bicycles from Advanced, Nov. 20-22, 2014)