Introducing the bus-train, the world’s first dual-mode vehicle

　　巴士还是火车?日本推出世界第一辆“双模车”

　　Japan recently unveiled the world’s first Dual-Mode Vehicle (DMV), a contraption that runs both on roads, like a bus, and on rails, like a train.

　　日本近日推出了世界第一辆“双模车”，这种车既可以像公共汽车一样在马路上行走，也可以像火车一样在铁轨上行走。

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　　The unique bus-train hybrid was unveiled last month, in the town of Kaiyo, Japan’s Tokushima Prefecture. The mini-bus-like contraption didn’t win anyone over with its looks, but it definitely made an impression in terms of practicality. It runs with normal rubber tires on the road, but when it needs to switch to train mode, a pair of metal wheels drop down from the vehicle’s underbelly. The front tires are lifted off of the track, while the rear wheels stay down to propel the vehicle. Switching between road and train modes takes only about 15 seconds.

　　这种巴士火车“二合一”的独 特交通工具上个月在日本德岛县海阳镇亮相。它的外观不太讨人喜欢，类似于小巴车，但是在实用性方面绝 对让人印象深刻。在马路上行走时，它使用正常的轮胎，但是如果需要切换成火车模式，底盘上就会降下一对金属轮，并收起前轮胎，使其离开轨道，后轮胎则会保持在原来的位置来驱动车辆前进。在马路和铁轨两种模式之间切换仅需要15秒。

　　"This DMV can reach the locals as a bus and carry them onto the railway as well,” Shigeki Miura, CEO of Asa Coast Railway, told Reuters. “Especially in rural areas with an aging population, we expect it to be a very good form of public transport.”

　　Asa海滨铁路公司首  席执行官三浦茂树告诉路透社说：“这种双模车可以作为公交车为本地人服务，也可以在铁轨上运行。尤其是在人口老龄化的乡村地区，我们认为它会成为很好的公共交通工具。”

　　The DMV has been in the works for over a decade, and authorities in Tokushima hope that it will not only improve the lives of locals but also attract tourists curious to see the dual-mode vehicles in person.

　　双模车的研制过程长达十余年，德岛县政府希望它不但能改善当地人的生活，还能吸引好奇的游客亲自来看看这辆双模车。

　　The dual-mode vehicles, which come in a variety of colors, is diesel-powered, can carry up to 21 passengers and run at a speed of 60 km/h in train mode, and up to 100 km/h as a bus.

　　这种双模车是由柴油驱动的，最多能搭载21名乘客，有多种颜色。开启火车模式后时速为60千米/时，开启巴士模式后时速为100千米/时。

　　Shigeki Miura declared himself confident that the unique vehicle could help small towns like Kaiyo with an aging and shrinking population, where conventional transportation companies struggle to make money. The unique fleet of vehicles will soon cover part of the coast of Shikoku island, connecting several towns and offering riders breathtaking seaside views.

　　三浦茂树宣称，这种独一无二的车能帮助海阳镇这样有人口老龄化和人口缩水问题的小镇，那里的传统交通公司都已度日维艰。不久后，独 特的车队就会覆盖四国岛海岸的一部分，连接几个小镇，让乘客欣赏到绝美的海滨风光。

　　口译： 翻译资格考试二级口译模拟题

　　笔译： 翻译资格考试二级笔译模拟题

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