North American bike 1)messengers北美自行車快遞
　
　
1) messenger (n.) 信差
There's a messenger here with a package for you.

1.
In North American cities such as San Francisco, New York and Montreal, it's not always practical to 2)deliver packages by car. Drivers get stuck in 3)traffic, have to get gas, and can't always find a parking space. That's where bike messengers 4)come in. They 5)race around the city delivering packages, sometimes riding up to 90 km a day. Traffic 6)jams don't bother them, because they can 7)zip between cars. Bicycles don't need gas, and if a messenger doesn't like to leave his bike on the roadside, he can carry it onto an elevator. Let's see a driver try to do that with his car!
　
在舊金山、紐約和蒙特婁這類的北美城市，以汽車遞送包裹有時候並不實際。汽車駕駛會被困在車陣、需要加油，而且不見得能找到停車位。這就用得著自行車快遞了。他們在市區急速奔馳遞送包裹，騎乘距離一天可以高達九十公里。交通擁塞對他們不會造成困擾，因為他們可以快速穿梭於車陣之間。自行車不需要汽油，而且如果快遞不想把自行車留在路邊，還可以把車帶進電梯。你看汽車駕駛做得到做不到！
　
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2) deliver (v.) 遞送
I got a job delivering flowers to offices.

3) traffic (n.) 車流
There is too much traffic in this city to get anywhere quickly.

4) come in (v.) 加入競爭，發揮作用
Reducing crime in this city is where the police come in.

5) race (v.) 疾馳
Those children keep racing around the house.

6) jam (n., v.) 壅塞
All these cars are jammed together in this one little street.

7) zip (v.) 迅速衝過
Scooters are convenient because they can zip around traffic.
　
　
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In large cities like L.A. where messengers must go really far and often use 8)freeways, cars or motorcycles are a much better choice. But in New York, San Francisco and Montreal, delivery distances are often just a few blocks, making bicycles a practical 9)alternative. They are fast, small, and light, and they require little 10)maintenance. Short distances don't necessarily mean bike messengers needn't ride far, however, since most of them make about 45 deliveries a day.

像洛杉磯這樣的大城市，快遞的距離很長，而且往往要走高速公路，所以用汽車和機車會好得多。可是在紐約、舊金山和蒙特婁，快遞的距離通常只有幾條街，使得自行車成為相當實際的選擇。自行車速度快、體積小又輕便，而且不大需要維修。不過，距離短並不一定表示自行車快遞就騎得不遠，因為大多數的自行車快遞每天遞送的件數在四十五件左右。

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8) freeway (n.) 高速公路
There are no traffic lights on this freeway.

9) alternative (n.) 另一種選擇
An alternative to eating meat is to eat tofu（豆腐）.

10) maintenance (n.) 保養，維修
Old cars need a lot more maintenance than new cars.
　
　
3.
Being a bike messenger is one of the hardest jobs out there. You have to ride all day in 11)stop-and-start traffic while carrying a heavy bag. It's like racing the 3Tour De France with a 10 kg 12)backpack on your back. And weather often gets in the way of your having a comfortable day. To make money, a bike messenger might have to 13)endure hours of rain, centimeters of snow or 30°C weather with 90% 14)humidity. Besides the 15)discomforts, bike messengers are constantly 16)exposed to danger. Angry 17)motorists often 18)cut them off and put their lives in danger. Other drivers sometimes simply don't see them. And there are hours of 19)boredom waiting for a delivery on 20)slow days. All this is done for just enough money to cover the 21)cost of living.
　
自行車快遞是最辛苦的工作之一。你必須整天帶著沉重的包裹在走走停停的車流中騎車。就像是背著十公斤的背包參加環法自行車大賽一樣。還有天氣常常會阻礙你不能舒舒服服地過一天。為了賺錢，自行車快遞也許得忍受幾小時的雨淋、幾公分的積雪，或是攝氏三十度高溫卻有百分之九十溼度的天氣。除了不舒服之外，自行車快遞也長時間暴露在危險之下。憤怒的駕駛經常切到自行車快遞前面，造成他們的生命危險。還有些駕駛有時候根本沒看到他們。生意清淡時還要坐著枯等好幾小時。這樣的付出，所得卻僅能糊口。
　
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11) stop-and-start (a.) 走走停停的，不順暢的
Getting around in the city involves a lot of stop-and-start driving.

12) backpack (n.) 背包
I bought a backpack to carry my books when going to school.

13) endure (v.) 忍受
Marathon runners have to endure hours of intense exercise.

14) humidity (n.) 溼度
This tropical country has really high humidity.

15) discomfort (n.) 不舒服
One discomfort of traveling is having to sit for many hours.

16) expose (v.) 暴露
Mike was exposed to the rain when he went outside without his jacket.

17) motorist (n.) 汽、機車駕駛
Motorists often get angry when they have to slow their cars down.

18) cut someone off (phr.) 搶到某人前面
It's very impolite to cut someone off when driving.

19) boredom (n.) 枯燥煩悶，無聊
The police officers had to deal with boredom while waiting.

20) a slow day (n.) 生意不好的日子
I haven't made any money today because it's been a really slow day.

21) cost of living (n.) 生活所需，物價水平
The cost of living in this city is really high.
　
　
4.
After reading the 22)disadvantages listed above, you may wonder why people do the job in the first place. One 23)benefit is 24)physical 25)fitness. Imagine how strong you'd be if your job was to ride a bicycle 90 km a day. Bike messengers have no problem sleeping, and never have to worry about their weight. It's an 26)extreme sport, with its own dangers and excitement. Many messengers live for the 27)thrill they get when racing down a tight line between two huge trucks that could kill them at any moment. All this fun, and they still make their deliveries on time.

看完上述這些缺點之後，也許你會奇怪為何有人會想要這分工作。它有一個好處是能鍛鍊體能。試想如果你的工作是一天騎九十公里的路程，你會有多強壯。自行車快遞不會有失眠問題，也永遠不用擔心體重。這是種自成一格的極限運動，有其危險刺激的成分。許多自行車快遞最愛穿梭於兩輛大卡車車縫間的快感，這些卡車隨時可能奪走他們的生命。這麼過癮，他們仍然能夠準時使命必達。
　　
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22) disadvantage (n.) 缺點
A disadvantage of working is that you have little time.

23) benefit (n.) 利益，好處
One of the benefits of working is that you make money.

24) physical (a.) 身體的
You should run every day because physical fitness is important.

25) fitness (n.) 體能良好狀態
Sally went to a fitness instructor at her gym for advice.

26) extreme sport(n.) 極限運動
Rock climbing is the original extreme sport.

27) thrill (n.) 興奮，刺激
My brother gets a thrill out of playing music for people.