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Maglev: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The maglev lines in service in Shanghai, Changsha and Beijing, and the 600 km/h train that is still in testing.

Play: Maglev

The conversation

Speakers: Yichen and Haoran.

  1. Yichen

    咱(zán)俩(liǎ)各(gè)背(bēi)着(zhe)个(gè)包(bāo)，怎(zěn)么(me)还(hái)专(zhuān)门(mén)坐(zuò)这(zhè)趟(tàng)车(chē)去(qù)机(jī)场(chǎng)？

    We've both just got backpacks, why did we go out of our way to catch this train to the airport?

  2. Haoran

    因(yīn)为(wèi)它(tā)会(huì)飞(fēi)呀(ya)，奕(yì)辰(chén)！

    Because it flies, Yichen!

  3. Yichen

    瞧(qiáo)你(nǐ)乐(lè)得(de)合(hé)不(bù)拢(lǒng)嘴(zuǐ)，我(wǒ)头(tóu)回(huí)见(jiàn)你(nǐ)这(zhè)么(me)兴(xīng)奋(fèn)。

    Look at you grinning from ear to ear, I've never seen you this hyped.

  4. Haoran

    上(shàng)海(hǎi)机(jī)场(chǎng)磁(cí)悬(xuán)浮(fú)，最(zuì)高(gāo)运(yùn)营(yíng)速(sù)度(dù)能(néng)到(dào)多(duō)少(shao)？

    What's the top operating speed of the Shanghai Airport Maglev?

    1. 431 km/h 431 km/h
    2. 131 km/h 131 km/h
    3. 831 km/h 831 km/h
    Answer

    431 km/h 431 km/h

  5. Yichen

    431！从(cóng)2003或(huò)2004年(nián)就(jiù)开(kāi)始(shǐ)跑(pǎo)了(le)。

    431! It's been running since 2003 or 2004.

  6. Haoran

    不(bú)到(dào)八(bā)分(fēn)钟(zhōng)跑(pǎo)完(wán)差(chà)不(bu)多(duō)30公(gōng)里(lǐ)。你(nǐ)看(kàn)窗(chuāng)外(wài)，高(gāo)速(sù)上(shàng)的(de)汽(qì)车(chē)跟(gēn)停(tíng)着(zhe)一(yí)样(yàng)。

    It covers nearly 30 kilometers in under eight minutes. Look out the window, cars on the highway look like they're standing still.

  7. Yichen

    我(wǒ)这(zhè)记(jì)账(zhàng)本(běn)刚(gāng)翻(fān)开(kāi)，就(jiù)到(dào)了(le)。

    I've barely opened my expense tracker and we're already here.

  8. Haoran

    长(cháng)沙(shā)也(yě)有(yǒu)一(yì)条(tiáo)，从(cóng)南(nán)站(zhàn)通(tōng)往(wǎng)机(jī)场(chǎng)呢(ne)。

    Changsha has one too, running from the South Station to the airport.

  9. Yichen

    那(nà)条(tiáo)也(yě)能(néng)跑(pǎo)这(zhè)么(me)快(kuài)吗(ma)？

    Does that one go just as fast?

  10. Haoran

    最(zuì)高(gāo)100 km/h，属(shǔ)于(yú)中(zhōng)低(dī)速(sù)磁(cí)悬(xuán)浮(fú)。北(běi)京(jīng)S1线(xiàn)也(yě)是(shì)。

    Maxes out at 100 km/h, it's a medium-to-low speed maglev. Same with Beijing's Line S1.

  11. Yichen

    那(nà)还(hái)有(yǒu)没(méi)有(yǒu)更(gèng)快(kuài)的(de)在(zài)路(lù)上(shang)？

    Are there any even faster ones in the works?

  12. Haoran

    时(shí)速(sù)600公(gōng)里(lǐ)的(de)样(yàng)车(chē)。还(hái)在(zài)测(cè)试(shì)中(zhōng)，没(méi)载(zài)客(kè)呢(ne)。

    A prototype with a top speed of 600 kilometers per hour. Still being tested, no passengers yet.

  13. Yichen

    行(xíng)，等(děng)它(tā)正(zhèng)式(shì)通(tōng)车(chē)了(le)，我(wǒ)得(děi)换(huàn)个(gè)超(chāo)短(duǎn)的(de)记(jì)账(zhàng)本(běn)。

    Fine, when it officially opens, I'm going to need a much shorter notebook.

Hear it read aloud in the app

Words in the conversation

因(yīn)为(wèi)becauseHSK 2这(zhè)么(me)soHSK 2分(fēn)钟(zhōng)minute (unit of time)HSK 2差(chà)不(bu)多(duō)almostHSK 2公(gōng)里(lǐ)kilometerHSK 2专(zhuān)门(mén)speciallyHSK 3速(sù)度(dù)the speed something moves atHSK 3开(kāi)始(shǐ)to beginHSK 3高(gāo)速(sù)at a rapidHSK 3属(shǔ)于(yú)to belong toHSK 3正(zhèng)式(shì)formalHSK 3兴(xīng)奋(fèn)excitedHSK 4测(cè)试(shì)to testHSK 4背(bēi)着(zhe)to carry on one's backHSK 6有(yǒu)没(méi)有(yǒu)do you haveHSK 6

Notes

Shanghai: the airport maglev (in service)

The Shanghai maglev runs about 30 km between Longyang Road metro station and Pudong International Airport. It uses German technology developed by Transrapid, a consortium of Siemens, ThyssenKrupp and the German government. Xinhua dates its commercial operation to 2003 and calls it China's first commercial maglev; other reports give January 2004, so the opening is best given as 2003-2004. The trip takes under eight minutes, with a top speed of 431 km/h.

Changsha: airport maglev (in service)

The Changsha maglev began operating on 6 May 2016. It runs 18.55 km between Changsha South railway station and the airport, with one stop between, at up to 100 km/h, and the trip takes 19.5 minutes. It was described as China's first medium-to-low-speed maglev line, and its trains were designed and built by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive.

Beijing: Line S1 (in service)

Beijing's first medium-low-speed maglev, Line S1, opened on 30 December 2017, on an 8.3 km first section between Shichang and Jin'anqiao with seven stations. The full planned line is 10.2 km, linking the western districts of Mentougou and Shijingshan.

The 600 km/h maglev (testing, not in service)

A prototype of a maglev designed for 600 km/h was unveiled in Qingdao in May 2019. A complete five-car trainset, built by CRRC Qingdao Sifang, was rolled out in Qingdao on 20 July 2021. It carries no passengers; at the 2021 rollout its chief engineer said it would enter service in five to ten years.

Play

Maglev

The maglev lines in service in Shanghai, Changsha and Beijing, and the 600 km/h train that is still in testing.

  1. Which two places does the Shanghai maglev connect?

    Answer

    Longyang Road and Pudong airport. The line runs about 30 km from Longyang Road metro station to Pudong International Airport.

  2. Whose technology does the Shanghai maglev use?

    Answer

    German. It uses the German Transrapid system developed by Siemens and ThyssenKrupp.

  3. What top speed made the Shanghai maglev famous?

    Answer

    431 km/h. The 30 km ride took under eight minutes with a top speed of 431 km/h.

  4. Which city opened China's first domestically built medium-to-low-speed maglev, in 2016?

    Answer

    Changsha. The Changsha line links the south railway station with the airport at up to 100 km/h.

  5. What is the status of the 600 km/h maglev rolled out in Qingdao in 2021?

    Answer

    Testing, no passengers. The trainset is a test train; no passenger line uses it.

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