Limiting Mail Delivery
If you’ve been to an American post office recently, you may have “noted” (noticed) that fewer people are mailing packages and letters.
如果你最近去過美國郵局，你可能會「注意到」（留意到）寄包裹和信件的人變少了。With the poor economy and the convenience of sending “electronic” (using the computer) documents, mail services are becoming less and less popular.
由於經濟不景氣和使用「電子」（使用電腦）文件的方便性，郵寄服務變得越來越不受歡迎。
The post office handled 202 billion pieces of mail in 2009, which was 9 billion fewer than the year before.
郵局在2009年處理了2020億件郵件，比前一年少了90億件。
This was the single largest drop in mail “volume” (amount) in U.S. history.
這是美國歷史上郵件「量」（數量）單次最大降幅。
The “postmaster general,” the highest official in charge of the U.S. postal system, has said that the post office needs “cost-cutting measures” (actions to reduce spending), because of the large “deficits” (spending more money than one earns).
「郵政總局局長」，美國郵政系統的最高負責官員，表示由於巨大的「赤字」（花費超過收入），郵局需要「削減成本措施」（減少支出的行動）。
At some point, this may even mean that the post office may be forced “to cut” (eliminate) one day of mail delivery.
在某些時候，這甚至可能意味著郵局將被迫「減少」（取消）一天的郵件投遞。
As of 2010, the post office is required by law to deliver mail six days each week, from Monday through Saturday.
截至2010年，法律規定郵局每週投遞郵件六天，從星期一到星期六。
If the post office delivers mail only five days, it would stop delivery on the “lightest” (having the least or lowest) mail days of the week, such as Tuesday.
如果郵局只投遞五天郵件，它將停止在每週「最少」（數量最少）郵件的日子投遞，如星期二。
No decision has been made yet to cut a mail delivery day.
目前尚未決定是否減少一天的郵件投遞。
It is just one of several money-saving possibilities that the post office is considering.
這只是郵局考慮的幾個節省資金的可能性之一。
Most Americans take mail delivery services “for granted” (having not thought about it and assumed it will continue).
大多數美國人「想當然地認為」（沒有考慮過並假設它會繼續）郵件投遞服務是理所當然的。
In general, mail service in the U.S. is reliable and fairly inexpensive.
一般來說，美國的郵政服務可靠且相當便宜。
It takes a suggestion like this to remind people that the service they’ve grown up with could and may change in a significant way.
這樣的建議提醒人們，他們從小就習慣的服務可能會發生重大變化。
重要單字
- 1. Noted (注意到) - /ˈnoʊtɪd/
- 2. Electronic (電子的) - /ɪˌlɛkˈtrɑːnɪk/
- 3. Volume (量) - /ˈvɑːljəm/
- 4. Postmaster General (郵政總局局長) - /ˌpoʊstˌmæstər ˈdʒɛnərəl/
- 5. Cost-cutting measures (削減成本措施) - /ˈkɔːstˌkʌtɪŋ ˈmɛʒərz/
- 6. Deficits (赤字) - /ˈdɛfɪsɪts/
- 7. To cut (減少) - /tə kʌt/
- 8. Lightest (最少的) - /ˈlaɪtɪst/
- 9. For granted (理所當然地) - /fər ˈɡræntɪd/
- 10. Reliable (可靠的) - /rɪˈlaɪəbl/
- 11. Inexpensive (便宜的) - /ˌɪnɪkˈspɛnsɪv/
- 12. Convenient (方便的) - /kənˈviːnjənt/
- 13. Economy (經濟) - /ɪˈkɑːnəmi/
- 14. Service (服務) - /ˈsɜːrvɪs/
- 15. Billion (十億) - /ˈbɪljən/
- 16. Largest (最大的) - /ˈlɑːrdʒɪst/
- 17. Drop (下降) - /drɑːp/
- 18. Official (官員) - /əˈfɪʃl/
- 19. Spending (支出) - /ˈspɛndɪŋ/
- 20. Earn (賺取) - /ɜːrn/
- 21. Law (法律) - /lɔː/
- 22. Required (被要求的) - /rɪˈkwaɪərd/
- 23. Week (週) - /wiːk/
- 24. Lightest (最輕的) - /ˈlaɪtɪst/
- 25. Decision (決定) - /dɪˈsɪʒn/
- 26. Considering (考慮) - /kənˈsɪdərɪŋ/
- 27. Reliable (可靠的) - /rɪˈlaɪəbl/
- 28. Inexpensive (便宜的) - /ˌɪnɪkˈspɛnsɪv/
- 29. Suggestion (建議) - /səˈdʒɛstʃən/
- 30. Significant (重大的) - /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/
- 31. Assumed (假設) - /əˈsuːmd/
- 32. Remind (提醒) - /rɪˈmaɪnd/
- 33. Change (改變) - /tʃeɪndʒ/
