為什么劍橋有很多人都以自行車(chē)作為交通工具？聊聊劍橋的自行車(chē)俱樂(lè)部的歷史

今天的這段對(duì)話(huà)，在討論自行車(chē)，
 
為什么劍橋有很多人都以自行車(chē)作為交通工具？聊聊劍橋的自行車(chē)俱樂(lè)部的歷史
 
來(lái)聽(tīng)今天的講解:
 
A: Hi, Ellen ! Is this your new bike?
 
嗨，愛(ài)德華！這是你新買(mǎi)的自行車(chē)嗎？
 
B:Yes, I bought it only yesterday.
 
是啊，昨天剛剛買(mǎi)的。
 
A: It's cool! May I have a try?
 
太漂亮了，我能試試嗎？
 
B:Of course. Don't forget to ride on the left.
 
當(dāng)然可以啦。別忘了，要靠左行。
 
A: Oh, I think it'll take me some time to get used to it. You know, in my country, we should drive, ride and walk on the right.
 
嗯，我想我還需要一定時(shí)間來(lái)適應(yīng)這個(gè)規(guī)則。你是知道的，在我們國(guó)家，不管開(kāi)車(chē)，騎車(chē)還是走路都要靠右行。
 
B:Well，it could be dangerous if you break the rules.
 
如果你不遵守交通規(guī)則，就容易發(fā)生危險(xiǎn)。
 
A: OK, I think I'd better try on your bike when I get more familiar with the traffic regulations here. Why do so many people commute by bike in Cambridge?
 
好的，我想我還是等熟悉這里的交通規(guī)則以后再來(lái)試騎你的車(chē)吧。為什么劍橋有那么多人都以自行車(chē)作為交通工具呢？
 
B: You see, Cambridge City is small and flat, besides, the colleges of Cambridge University scatter in every comer of the city. Riding a bike between lectures is quick and convenient.
 
劍橋市面積不大，而且地勢(shì)平坦。此外，劍橋大學(xué)的各個(gè)學(xué)院分布在城市的毎個(gè)角落，騎自行車(chē)往來(lái)于課堂之間十分方便快捷。
 
A: And it is almost the most environment-friendly way of commute.
 
騎車(chē)幾乎是最有利于環(huán)保的交通方式了。
 
B:That's right. Since riding a bike is the most common way to commute in this city, there are a lot of regulations about riding.
 
對(duì)。因?yàn)轵T車(chē)在劍橋是最為普遍的一種交通方式，關(guān)于自行車(chē)的規(guī)定也很多。
 
A:For example?
 
比如說(shuō)？
 
B: For example, people under 18 or above 60 should wear a helmet when they ride, and your bike should be equipped with two lights, with one in the front and the other in the back.
 
比如說(shuō)，18歲以下，60歲以上的人騎車(chē)出行都要佩戴頭盔。毎輛自行車(chē)都必須配備前后兩蓋燈。
 
A:We don't have this kind of regulations in our country.
 
在我們國(guó)家就沒(méi)有這樣的規(guī)定。
 
B: It's a little bit troublesome but it's for the sake of safety.
 
這有點(diǎn)麻煩，但也是為了安全著想。
 
A:I agree. I noticed that people just leave their bikes propped against a wall and some of them are even unlocked, thus I'm wondering is it because that there is no bike crime here?
 
我完全同意,我注意到，這里的人經(jīng)常隨便把車(chē)靠在墻上，有些車(chē)甚至都不上鎖，所以，我在想，是不是這里都沒(méi)有人車(chē)？
 
B:No, it's far from the case. People sometimes just take their bikes casually and Cambridge is the UK's bike crime capital.
 
不，事實(shí)并不是這樣。有些時(shí)候，人們只是比較隨意罷了。而且劍橋市是全英國(guó)丟車(chē)最多的城市之一。
 
A: You must be careful with your bike.
 
你也一定得注意你的自行車(chē)。
 
B: I will. If you're interested in biking, you can join the CUCC. That's the Cambridge University Cycling Club.
 
我會(huì)的。如果你對(duì)騎車(chē)感興趣，你也可以加入劍橋的自行車(chē)俱樂(lè)部啊。
 
A: I'd like to, but I'm not very skilled in cycling.
 
我也想，只是我并不是很擅長(zhǎng)騎車(chē)。
 
B: It doesn't matter. CUCC has a wide variety of events for members of all abilities. Membership is available for all types of students and university staff.
 
沒(méi)關(guān)系，俱樂(lè)部有各種各樣的活動(dòng)，成員們可以根據(jù)自身的情況進(jìn)行選擇。所有的學(xué)生和教職員工都有參加這個(gè)俱樂(lè)部的資格。
 
A:Really? Can you tell me more about the club, for example, the history of it?
 
真的嗎？你可不可以給我介紹一下這個(gè)俱樂(lè)部啊，比如它的歷史什么的。
 
B:Of course. The club came into being in 1874 with 11 members; within five years this figure was in excess of 260 and included all members of the University from undergraduates to Fellows.
 
當(dāng)然啦。這個(gè)俱樂(lè)部成立于1874年，當(dāng)時(shí)只有11位成員。5年之內(nèi)，成員人數(shù)就增長(zhǎng)到了 260人，包括大學(xué)里各類(lèi)人士，即有本科生又有研究員。
 
A:How popular it is! Is there any competition held by the club?
 
它真的很受歡迎啊！俱樂(lè)部舉行過(guò)什么比賽嗎？
 
B: Yes. Within two months of its formation, the Dark Blue Bicycle Club requested the first inter-varsity race. This inaugural race was held on the 18th June 1874，and consisted of an 80 mile course between Oxford and Cambridge. Cambridge won, taking both the first and second places.
 
舉行過(guò)。在它成立兩個(gè)月內(nèi)，深藍(lán)自行車(chē)俱樂(lè)部就向它發(fā)起了第一次大學(xué)對(duì)抗賽。這次比賽在1874年6月18日舉行，賽道是牛津到劍橋之間的一條80米的路。劍橋蠃了，第一名和第二名都由劍橋的學(xué)生取得。
 
A: Wow, Cambridge is really good at cycling.
 
哇，劍橋的自行車(chē)騎得真不錯(cuò)。
 
B: Yes, but sometimes Oxford won the match. The club went from strength to strength through the 1880s, with amateur racing flourishing.
 
是，但是牛津有時(shí)也會(huì)贏得比賽。整個(gè)19世紀(jì)80年代，這個(gè)俱樂(lè)部變得越來(lái)越強(qiáng)大，業(yè)余愛(ài)好者比賽盛行。
 
A: OK, thanks for your information. I will join the club and maybe someday I will be the winner of the amateur race.
 
好的，謝謝你告訴我這些。我也要加入這個(gè)俱樂(lè)部，沒(méi)準(zhǔn)有一天我也會(huì)成為業(yè)余愛(ài)好者比賽的冠軍呢。
 
B: Great. There are few easier ways to get fit and healthy than by enjoying a leisurely cycle ride instead of catching the bus or getting in the car.
 
太好了。既簡(jiǎn)單，又有利于健康的運(yùn)動(dòng)莫過(guò)于悠閑地騎騎自行車(chē)了，這比坐公交或者開(kāi)車(chē)都要好得多。