載著數十萬人南北趕跨年、看日出的高鐵通車屆滿10週年,不只是台灣城市化推手,營運績效也創造服務輸出歐、美的價值。近年來,全球各國重金投資高速鐵路,今年杜拜甚至還將測試快過飛機的超級高鐵計畫,期盼再掀一波經濟熱潮(boom)。
【經濟熱潮淺談】 urbanization 都市化 A:Taiwan's bullet train has led to rapid urbanization on the west coast over the past decade. (10年來,高鐵通車帶來台灣西部快速都市化。) B:Well, Taiwan is not the only place benefiting from such high technology. (嗯,台灣可不是這項高科技的唯一受益者喔。) to emerge 浮現;冒出 A:Oh, are you referring to high-speed rail networks emerging in Europe over the past decades? (你是指幾十年來在歐洲各地陸續上路的高鐵網絡嗎?) B:That's correct. Several European countries have been boosting their transportation infrastructure. (沒錯,很多歐洲國家持續加強他們運輸業的基礎建設。) to boom 急速發展;繁榮 A:I also heard that Dubai plans to build a near-supersonic transport link to Abu Dhabi. (我聽說杜拜想興建一條連結阿布達比的近音速高鐵。) B:The economy in the cash-flush city state will sure boom again if that pans out. (若計畫成功,這個熱錢湧進的城市經濟必會再次繁榮。) 【延伸關鍵字】 1. franchise:特許經營權 2. pressing:急迫的 3. to set off waves:掀起浪潮 多益時事通工作團隊獨家授權