CET-4 Listening Practice: The Sharing Economy on Campus

Walk around any university campus today, and you will notice something interesting.

如今走进任何一所大学校园，你都会注意到一件有趣的事。

Students no longer need to own many of the things they use every day.

学生们不再需要拥有很多日常要用的东西。

Instead, they simply share them, and this is often called the sharing economy.

他们只是共享这些东西，这通常被称为共享经济。

Take shared bikes as an example.

就拿共享单车来说吧。

You scan a code with your phone, and the lock opens in seconds.

用手机扫一下码，锁几秒钟就开了。

A short ride to the library usually costs only one or two yuan.

骑一小段路去图书馆，通常只要1到2块钱。

Shared power banks work in a similar way.

共享充电宝也是类似的方式。

If your phone is dying before a lecture, you can rent one from a machine nearby.

如果上课前手机快没电了，你可以在附近的机器上借一个。

Second-hand textbooks are another great example!

二手教材也是一个很好的例子！

Many students swap their old books with younger students instead of throwing them away.

很多学生不把旧书扔掉，而是和学弟学妹交换。

The advantages are easy to see.

好处显而易见。

Students save a lot of money, because they only pay for what they actually use.

学生能省下不少钱，因为他们只为真正用到的东西付费。

Sharing also means less waste, since one bike or one book can serve many people.

共享还能减少浪费，因为1辆自行车或1本书可以供很多人使用。

And of course, it is extremely convenient when you are in a hurry.

当然，在你赶时间的时候，它也特别方便。

However, the sharing economy also brings some serious problems.

然而，共享经济也带来了一些严重的问题。

Shared bikes are often left everywhere, blocking paths and the entrances to buildings.

共享单车常常被随处乱停，挡住道路和楼门口。

Some users treat shared items carelessly, so you may find a bike with a broken seat.

有些用户不爱惜共享物品，所以你可能会碰到车座坏了的单车。

Deposits are another worry for many students.

押金是很多学生的另一个担忧。

Some companies have closed down without giving the deposits back to their users.

有些公司倒闭了，却没有把押金退还给用户。

On top of that, every app collects personal data, such as your phone number and location.

除此之外，每个应用都会收集个人信息，比如你的手机号和位置。

If this information is not protected, it could easily be misused.

如果这些信息得不到保护，就很容易被滥用。

So, is the sharing economy good or bad for students?

那么，共享经济对学生来说到底是好是坏呢？

In my view, it is a useful tool, as long as we use it responsibly.

在我看来，只要我们负责任地使用，它就是一个有用的工具。

Park bikes in the proper areas, and report broken items when you find them.

把单车停在规定区域，发现东西坏了就及时报修。

Before you pay a deposit or download an app, read the rules carefully.

在交押金或下载应用之前，要仔细阅读相关规定。

After all, sharing only works when everyone takes care of what they share.

毕竟，只有每个人都爱惜共享的东西，共享才能真正运转下去。