17
0Episode: 3000 Yuan Commute: Hangzhou to Shanghai Daily
Duration: approximately 6 minutes
Level: B1 (Intermediate)
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[Mike]: Welcome back to Learn English with Podcasts! Sarah, would you spend 2.5 hours each way just to get to work?
zh:欢迎回到 Learn English with Podcasts！Sarah，你愿意花单程2.5小时去上班吗？
[Sarah]: No way. That sounds crazy. Two times 2.5 hours is 5 hours a day!
zh:不可能。这听起来太疯狂了。2.5小时乘以2，一天就是5小时！
[Mike]: I thought so too. But in Hangzhou, two young people do exactly that. Every day.
zh:我也这么想。但在杭州，有两个年轻人就是这样做的。每天都这样。
[Sarah]: Really? Where do they go?
zh:真的吗？他们去哪里上班？
[Mike]: To Shanghai. They live in Linping, Hangzhou, but work in Shanghai. By high-speed train.
zh:去上海。他们住在杭州临平，但在上海工作。坐高铁去。
[Sarah]: Wow, that is a cross-province commute. How early do they leave home?
zh:哇，这是跨省通勤。他们早上多早出门？
[Mike]: Let's start with Tan. He leaves home at 6 in the morning. 1 hour by train, then metro. He gets to his office before 9.
zh:先说说小谭。他早上6点从家出发。坐1小时高铁，再转地铁。9点前能到公司。
[Sarah]: 3 hours of travel every morning? That is hard. How much does he spend?
zh:每天早上在路上花3小时？太辛苦了。他花多少钱？
[Mike]: More than 3000 yuan a month. With that money, he could rent a room in Shanghai.
zh:每月3000多元。用这笔钱，他其实可以在上海租个房。
[Sarah]: Then why doesn't he? Why live so far away?
zh:那他为什么不租呢？为什么住这么远？
[Mike]: He did the math. In Shanghai, 3000 yuan only gets a small room, far from the center. He still needs a long ride to work.
zh:他算过账。在上海，3000元只能租到偏远的小房间。去上班还是要坐很久的车。
[Sarah]: I see. So living in Linping is cheaper and more comfortable?
zh:明白了。所以住在临平更便宜、更舒服？
[Mike]: Yes. Bigger home, lower living costs, same travel time. He thinks Linping wins.
zh:对。房子更大，生活成本更低，路上时间却差不多。他觉得临平更划算。
[Sarah]: Okay, that makes some sense. Who is the other person?
zh:好吧，这有点道理。另一个人是谁？
[Mike]: A young woman named Xiao Lin. She works in advertising. Her story is even more detailed.
zh:一个叫小林的年轻姑娘。她做广告行业。她的故事更详细。
[Sarah]: Tell me about her day. When does she wake up?
zh:给我讲讲她的一天。她几点起床？
[Mike]: At 5:30. First, she drives to the train station. Then she takes the 6:58 train from Linpingnan Station.
zh:5点半。首先，她开车到高铁站。然后坐6点58分从临平南站出发的那趟车。
[Sarah]: How much is the ticket? And how long is the ride?
zh:票多少钱？要坐多久？
[Mike]: 59 yuan for a second-class seat. The ride takes 1 hour 4 minutes. She arrives at Shanghai Hongqiao at 8:02.
zh:二等座59元。车程1小时4分钟。8点02分到上海虹桥。
[Sarah]: That train number sounds familiar. Is it G7556?
zh:这个车次听起来很熟。是G7556吗？
[Mike]: Yes, G7556. After Hongqiao, she takes the metro for about 40 minutes. She changes lines one time. It costs 4 yuan.
zh:对，G7556。到虹桥后，她坐地铁约40分钟。中途换乘一次。花4元。
[Sarah]: And then? She walks to the office?
zh:然后呢？她走路去公司？
[Mike]: No, she scans a shared bike and rides 2.5 km. Because she has a monthly pass, it costs only about 1 yuan a day.
zh:不，她扫一辆共享单车，骑2.5公里。因为买了月卡，平均每天只花1元左右。
[Sarah]: Let me count. Train, metro, bike. She gets to work around 9?
zh:我数数。高铁、地铁、单车。她9点左右到公司？
[Mike]: Exactly, around 9. In Xuhui District, Shanghai. Not late, not early.
zh:没错，9点左右。在上海徐汇区。不迟到，也不早。
[Sarah]: And the way back? She must be so tired after work.
zh:那回去呢？下班后她一定很累吧。
[Mike]: She leaves work at 6 in the evening. She can catch the 7:10 pm train from Hongqiao. The ticket back is 79 yuan.
zh:她下午6点下班。能赶上晚上7点10分从虹桥出发的那趟车。回程票79元。
[Sarah]: What if she works late?
zh:如果她加班呢？
[Mike]: There is a later train at 9:19 pm. But sometimes there are no second-class seats left. Then she has to buy a first-class seat.
zh:还有一班晚上9点19分的车。但有时二等座卖完了。她就只能加价买一等座。
[Sarah]: So one month costs about 3000 yuan. And 2.5 hours each way. Isn't she tired?
zh:所以一个月要花3000元左右。单程2.5小时。她不累吗？
[Mike]: She says no. She can take a short nap on the high-speed train. She arrives rested.
zh:她说不累。她可以在高铁上眯一会儿。到公司时休息得很好。
[Sarah]: Wait, she used to work in Binjiang, right? Was that easier?
zh:等等，她以前在滨江上班，对吧？那不是更近吗？
[Mike]: Not really. From Linping to Binjiang, the morning metro took about 2 hours. Crowded, noisy, no seat.
zh:其实没有。从临平到滨江，早高峰坐地铁也要约2小时。又挤又吵，还没座位。
[Sarah]: Oh! So the time is almost the same. But the train is much nicer?
zh:哦！所以时间几乎一样。但高铁舒服多了？
[Mike]: Yes. And the new job in Shanghai pays more. She did the math, and said yes to Shanghai.
zh:对。而且上海的新工作工资更高。她算了笔账，就接受了去上海上班。
[Sarah]: I get it now. It is not about distance. It is about how you spend the time.
zh:我现在懂了。关键不是距离。是你在路上的时间怎么过的。
[Mike]: Exactly. 2 hours standing in a crowded metro, or 1 hour sleeping on a fast train? Which would you pick?
zh:没错。2小时站着挤地铁，还是1小时在高铁上睡觉？你选哪个？
[Sarah]: Hmm, when you put it that way... the farthest commuter may be the most rested person in the office.
zh:嗯，这么一说……跑得最远的通勤族，可能是办公室里休息得最好的人。
[Mike]: That is the fun twist. She travels across provinces every day, but she arrives calmer than many locals.
zh:这就是有趣的反转。她每天跨省上班，到公司时却比很多本地人更从容。
[Sarah]: So home is not the closest place. Home is the place where the math works, and life feels good.
zh:所以家不是最近的地方。家是那笔账算得过来、日子过得舒服的地方。
[Mike]: Beautifully said. Thanks for listening to Learn English with Podcasts. Could you do a 2.5-hour commute for a better life? Tell us, and see you next time.
zh:说得真好。感谢收听 Learn English with Podcasts。为了更好的生活，你愿意每天通勤2.5小时吗？告诉我们，下期见。
