VOA慢速英語：北京限制污染政策的開啟與關閉

Many Beijing residents were surprised when its polluted air was cleared in the past few weeks.

在過去幾周，空氣污染被清除，這使得許多北京市民感到驚訝。

The air in Beijingis well-known for being thick and polluted because of smoke, or emissions, from factories and power plants. But two weeks before the country's massive military parade, the skies became clear.

眾所周知，由于工廠及電廠的煙霧與廢氣排放，北京空氣變得濃密且受到污染。但在國家大規(guī)模軍事閱兵前兩周，天空變得清晰。

Air pollution from coal-burning power plants and from millions of cars and other vehicles results in smog, or foggy pollution.

The day after the military parade, the combination of smoke and fog, called smog, returned. The Los Angeles Times reported the story after the military parade last week.

閱兵后第二天，煙霧（煙和霧的結(jié)合），又再次彌漫。上周閱兵之后，洛杉磯時報報道了該事件。

What happened?

發(fā)生了什么？

China's state-run Global Times reported that officials shut down 10,000 factories and 9,000 construction sites around Beijing and nearby areas. Authorities also restricted millions of cars to driving every other day. Those restrictions started in late August to ensure that the sky over Beijing would be what is now known as "parade blue."

中國國營的環(huán)球時報報道，官員們關閉了北京及附近地區(qū)的10,000家工廠與9000個建筑工地。當局也限制了上百萬輛汽車隔日駕駛。這些限制在八月下旬開始，以確保北京天空出現(xiàn)現(xiàn)在被稱為的“閱兵藍”。

Air quality measured 17 on a scale of 500 the day of the parade. The day after, it rose to 160. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says, at those levels, "everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects." Visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

閱兵當天，空氣質(zhì)量測量指數(shù)為500范圍內(nèi)達到17。其后第二天，上升到160。美國環(huán)境保護署聲稱，照此水平計算，“每個人的健康都可能會受到不良影響”。

Chinese authorities have cleaned the air for special eventsin the past, as well. They restricted pollution during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last August for "APEC blue."

在過去，由于特殊事件，中國當局也會凈化空氣。在八月份，亞太經(jīng)合組織峰會上，為實現(xiàn)“APEC藍”他們也限制污染。

The 2008 Olympics that were hosted by the Chinese also saw cleaner air. Studies after the Olympics showed a relation between the restricted pollution and an improvement in heart disease.

在中國舉辦的2008年奧運會上，我們也看到了更加清潔的空氣。奧運會之后的研究表明，限制污染與心臟疾病的改善之間存在一定關系。

I'm Jonathan Evans.

我是喬納森·埃文斯。

Kathleen Struck adapted the story. Hai Do was the editor.

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Words in This Story

emissions -- n. air, smoke, heat or other substance that is released

power plant-- n. a building where energy, or power, is created for a town or city or other place

smog -- n. a combination of smoky, polluted air and fog: The air looks foggy, but pollution is mixed with it.