英语(二)自学教程 UNIT 10

Unit 10

Ode to Public Transport

Text A

Pre-reading Questions

1.Do you find it important to use public transportation? What are some of the reasons?

2.What suggestions do you give to others on using public transportation?

The Importance of Public Transportation

A US Congressman once proclaimed that, “There can be no doubt that the transportation sector is the most critical sector of our economy.”

I know exactly what he means. In this day and age, access to transportation is considered a necessity.

Public transportation is defined as a service that is available for use by the general public. It is a cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative. It is not a transportation service that you can arrange privately to suit your own personal convenience (although you may, to a certain extent, such as paying for a cabin or suite on a train or ship) since you have to consider other passengers who are riding and making similar arrangements with you.

I have experienced first-hand how important public transportation is.

I live in Saipan , a US territory and the closest things we have to public transportation are tourist and school buses. You have to have your own car or bike, rent a car, or pay upfront for a taxi to go from point A to

B. Otherwise you end up basked in sweat and sunburn traveling to work every day. When I first came here, I walked. I walked going to and from work. I walked to the store and lugged my heavy groceries back to the house. I walked to church and I barely got to go to places farther than a twenty-mile radius from my house since I did not own a car then, and I considered renting a car and riding a taxi such an expense for a starting single mother like I was at that time.

For me, public transportation is very important because of the following reasons:

I. It saves money.

According to research done by the American Public Transportation Association, individuals can save up to $9,515 annually by parking their cars at home and using public transportation instead. In this economy, saving money has become a main concern in most households. With the rising prices of fuel and other vehicle-related expenses, doing the public commute to work and school certainly saves money.

2.It helps the environment.

When you switch from driving your car to taking public transport, you are reducing your carbon footprint and making a great step forward in saving the environment. The environmental costs of individuals using their cars every day has done massive damage to the environment and if the majority or all individuals like you and me use public transport instead, think of what good we could do for the environment.