Many Beijing residents were surprised when its polluted air was cleared in the past few weeks.

在过去几周，空气污染被清除，这使得许多北京市民感到惊讶。

The air in Beijingis well-known for being thick and polluted because of smoke, or emissions, from factories and power plants. But two weeks before the country's massive military parade, the skies became clear.

众所周知，由于工厂及电厂的烟雾与废气排放，北京空气变得浓密且受到污染。但在国家大规模军事阅兵前两周，天空变得清晰。

Air pollution from coal-burning power plants and from millions of cars and other vehicles results in smog, or foggy pollution.

The day after the military parade, the combination of smoke and fog, called smog, returned. The Los Angeles Times reported the story after the military parade last week.

阅兵后第二天，烟雾（烟和雾的结合），又再次弥漫。上周阅兵之后，洛杉矶时报报道了该事件。

What happened?

发生了什么？

China's state-run Global Times reported that officials shut down 10,000 factories and 9,000 construction sites around Beijing and nearby areas. Authorities also restricted millions of cars to driving every other day. Those restrictions started in late August to ensure that the sky over Beijing would be what is now known as "parade blue."

中国国营的环球时报报道，官员们关闭了北京及附近地区的10,000家工厂与9000个建筑工地。当局也限制了上百万辆汽车隔日驾驶。这些限制在八月下旬开始，以确保北京天空出现现在被称为的“阅兵蓝”。

Air quality measured 17 on a scale of 500 the day of the parade. The day after, it rose to 160. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says, at those levels, "everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects." Visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

阅兵当天，空气质量测量指数为500范围内达到17。其后第二天，上升到160。美国环境保护署声称，照此水平计算，“每个人的健康都可能会受到不良影响”。

Chinese authorities have cleaned the air for special eventsin the past, as well. They restricted pollution during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last August for "APEC blue."

在过去，由于特殊事件，中国当局也会净化空气。在八月份，亚太经合组织峰会上，为实现“APEC蓝”他们也限制污染。

The 2008 Olympics that were hosted by the Chinese also saw cleaner air. Studies after the Olympics showed a relation between the restricted pollution and an improvement in heart disease.

在中国举办的2008年奥运会上，我们也看到了更加清洁的空气。奥运会之后的研究表明，限制污染与心脏疾病的改善之间存在一定关系。

I'm Jonathan Evans.

我是乔纳森·埃文斯。

Kathleen Struck adapted the story. Hai Do was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

emissions -- n. air, smoke, heat or other substance that is released

power plant-- n. a building where energy, or power, is created for a town or city or other place

smog -- n. a combination of smoky, polluted air and fog: The air looks foggy, but pollution is mixed with it.

Many Beijing residents were surprised when its polluted air was cleared in the past few weeks.

The air in Beijing is well-known for being thick and polluted because of smoke, or emissions, from factories and power plants. But two weeks before the country's massive military parade, the skies became clear.

The day after the military parade, the combination of smoke and fog, called smog, returned. The Los Angeles Times reported the story after the military parade last week.

What happened?

China's state-run Global Times reported that officials shut down 10,000 factories and 9,000 construction sites around Beijing and nearby areas. Authorities also restricted millions of cars to driving every other day. Those restrictions started in late August to ensure that the sky over Beijing would be what is now known as "parade blue."

Air quality measured 17 on a scale of 500 the day of the parade. The day after, it rose to 160. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says, at those levels, "everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects." Visit the website www.chinavoa.com to get more information!

Chinese authorities have cleaned the air for special events in the past, as well. They restricted pollution during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last August for "APEC blue."

The 2008 Olympics that were hosted by the Chinese also saw cleaner air. Studies after the Olympics showed a relation between the restricted pollution and an improvement in heart disease.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

Kathleen Struck adapted the story. Hai Do was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

emissions -- n. air, smoke, heat or other substance that is released

power plant-- n. a building where energy, or power, is created for a town or city or other place

smog -- n. a combination of smoky, polluted air and fog: The air looks foggy, but pollution is mixed with it.