新能源汽车 Electric Vehicles — HSK 5 Reading

十年shí nián前qián，在zài中国Zhōngguó的de大街dàjiē上shang，几乎jīhū看不到kàn bu dào新能源xīnnéngyuán汽车qìchē。

Ten years ago, you could hardly see any new energy vehicles on the streets of China.

如今rújīn，情况qíngkuàng完全wánquán不同bùtóng了le：路上lùshang到处dàochù都dōu是shì绿色lǜsè的de电动diàndòng汽车qìchē。

Today the situation is completely different: green-plated electric cars are everywhere on the roads.

之所以zhīsuǒyǐ发展fāzhǎn得de这么zhème快kuài，是因为shì yīnwèi政府zhèngfǔ大力dàlì支持zhīchí，技术jìshù也yě越来越yuèláiyuè成熟chéngshú。

The reason they have developed so quickly is that the government strongly supports them and the technology keeps maturing.

一方面yì fāngmiàn，电动diàndòng汽车qìchē不bù污染wūrǎn空气kōngqì，对duì环保huánbǎo有yǒu很大hěn dà的de好处hǎochu，另一方面lìng yì fāngmiàn，它tā的de使用shǐyòng成本chéngběn也yě比bǐ传统chuántǒng汽车qìchē低dī。

On the one hand, electric cars do not pollute the air, which is a great benefit for the environment; on the other hand, they also cost less to run than traditional cars.

当然dāngrán，问题wèntí也yě不少bù shǎo，比如bǐrú充电chōngdiàn不bú太tài方便fāngbiàn，冬天dōngtiān电池diànchí的de表现biǎoxiàn也yě让ràng人rén担心dānxīn。

Of course, there are still plenty of problems: charging is not very convenient, and battery performance in winter is a real worry.

我wǒ的de一个yí gè朋友péngyou去年qùnián买mǎi了le一辆yí liàng电动车diàndòngchē，他tā说shuō再也zài yě不bù想xiǎng回到huídào加油jiāyóu的de日子rìzi了le。

A friend of mine bought an electric car last year, and he says he never wants to go back to the days of filling up with gas.

不过búguò他tā也yě承认chéngrèn，每次měi cì长途chángtú旅行lǚxíng，都dōu不得不bùdébù提前tíqián计划jìhuà好hǎo充电chōngdiàn的de地方dìfang。

But he also admits that before every long trip, he has no choice but to plan out the charging stops in advance.

随着suízhe充电站chōngdiànzhàn越来越yuèláiyuè普及pǔjí，这些zhèxiē问题wèntí会huì慢慢mànmàn得到dédào解决jiějué。

As charging stations become more and more widespread, these problems will gradually be solved.

在zài我wǒ看来kànlái，新能源xīnnéngyuán汽车qìchē代表dàibiǎo着zhe未来wèilái的de趋势qūshì，而ér这个zhège变化biànhuà才cái刚刚gānggāng开始kāishǐ。

In my view, new energy vehicles represent the trend of the future, and this change has only just begun.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

能源néngyuánenergy (source)

环保huánbǎoenvironmental protection

充电chōngdiànto charge (a battery)

成本chéngběncost

普及pǔjíto become widespread

趋势qūshìtrend

Grammar note 语法点

之所以…，是因为…

States a result first and then gives its cause: 'the reason why A is because B'. It sounds slightly formal and is common in written explanations, e.g. 他之所以迟到，是因为堵车.

之所以发展得这么快，是因为政府大力支持，技术也越来越成熟。 — The reason they have developed so quickly is that the government strongly supports them and the technology keeps maturing.

一方面…，另一方面…

Presents two sides or aspects of the same topic, like 'on the one hand... on the other hand...', e.g. 学汉语一方面有趣，另一方面也很难.

一方面，电动汽车不污染空气，对环保有很大的好处，另一方面，它的使用成本也比传统汽车低。 — On the one hand, electric cars do not pollute the air, which greatly benefits the environment; on the other hand, they also cost less to run than traditional cars.

不得不

Means 'to have no choice but to do something' — the action is forced by circumstances, e.g. 天太晚了，我不得不回家.

每次长途旅行，都不得不提前计划好充电的地方。 — Before every long trip, he has no choice but to plan out the charging stops in advance.

Check yourself 小测验

1. Why have electric vehicles developed so quickly in China?

2. What does the author's friend have to do before every long trip?

3. What does the author think about new energy vehicles?

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