High 2 · Reading series
Lesson 51 · The Package's Long Route
Audio track 51
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A replacement part for our school camera arrived two days after we ordered it. The speed felt almost magical. The tracking page, however, showed a long chain of warehouses, vehicles, and sorting centers. The small package had traveled farther than I had that year.
For a geography project, we drew its route on a map. We could see some transfer points, but not the working conditions of every person who handled it or the full environmental cost. We resisted filling those gaps with confident guesses. Instead, we asked the supplier what shipping options existed for less urgent orders.
The reply offered slower delivery for some products, though not for all. We decided to group future orders when possible and keep spare parts we already owned in better order. The change was modest and depended on what the club actually needed.
Fast delivery is a useful service. Understanding its route did not make us reject it. It helped us see that “arrived quickly” is only the final sentence of a much longer story.
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After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
学校相机的一个替换零件下单两天后就到了，快得近乎神奇。但追踪页面显示，包裹经过了一长串仓库、车辆和分拣中心。这个小包裹走的路，比我那一年去过的地方都远。
地理项目中，我们在地图上画出它的路线。有些中转点可见，但每位经手者的工作条件和完整环境代价看不到。我们没有自信地猜填空白，而是询问供应商：不急用的订单是否可以选择别的配送方式。
回复说，部分商品可以较慢送达，并非所有都行。我们决定今后尽可能把订单合在一起，也把已有备件管理得更好。这是小小的调整，仍须符合社团的实际需要。
快速配送是一项有用的服务。理解包裹路线，并没有让我们一概拒绝它，而是让我们知道‘很快到了’只是更长故事的最后一句。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- replacement part
- 替换零件；用于学校相机。
- tracking
- 追踪；显示包裹经过的站点。
- warehouses
- 仓库；物流链上的节点。
- sorting centers
- 分拣中心；包裹转运地点。
- transfer
- 中转；部分地点可在地图上看见。
- conditions
- 工作条件；追踪页无法说明。
- supplier
- 供应商；询问配送选项。
- urgent
- 紧急的；不急单可考虑慢送。
- group
- 合并；减少分散下单。
- modest
- 幅度不大的；调整符合实际需要。
Background notes (Chinese)
物流追踪可显示部分路程，却不能呈现每一环节的劳动和环境影响。社团在不臆测未知部分的前提下，尝试合并订单和选择较慢配送。