西成高铁今日全线开通 Xi'an - Chengdu high-speed railway starts operation

Attendants(乘务员) for the newly built Xi'an(西安) - Chengdu(成都) high-speed train line, China’s first high-speed railway to run through the Qinling Mountains(秦岭), debuted Monday in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The 658 km high-speed railway starts(开始) operation(运行) today.

Boasting a designated(设计) speed(速度) of 250 kph, the railway line will cut(缩短) the current travel time(旅行时间) between(之间) the two cities from(从) about 7 hours(小时) to(到) just 3 hours and 27 minutes(分钟).

词汇 Words:

[sù dù] 速度 speed
[shí jiān] 时间 time
[xiǎo shí] 小时 hour
[fēn zhōng] 分钟 minute
[suō duǎn] 缩短 cut
[zhī jiān] 之间 between
[cóng] 从 from
[dào] 到 to

重点词汇 Key word:

间

• <名词 n.> space between
  E.g. Liǎng shān zhījiān yǒu tiáo xiǎoxī。
  两山之间有条小溪。
  There is a small stream between the two mountains.

• <名词 n.> (within) a definite time
  E.g. Kèjiān xiūxī líng xiǎng le。
  课间休息铃响了。
  The bell went for the break.

• <名词 n.> room
  E.g. Wǒ bǎ wǒ de fángjiān zhěnglǐ le yīxià。
  我把我的房间整理了一下。
  I cleared up my room.

• <量词 measure word> (used of smallest units of housing)
  E.g. Wǒ tì wǒ de péngyǒu zū le yījiān fáng。
  我替我的朋友租了一间房。
  I rented a room for my friend.