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The daily journey to and from home and work is one of those things that many of us have to endure. Whether by train, bus, bike or on foot, it's a routine that some people could rather do without but if we have to work, the daily grind is all part of the job!
We all have stories of commuting nightmares – a tube train stuck in a tunnel or a bus journey where people are packed in like sardines. In London, where there is an extensive transport network, complaining about delays, cancellations and the price of their season ticket, has become a commuter's favourite past time but their problems are relatively minor compared to ones that travellers in other parts of the world face. In Nairobi, for example, commuters have to keep windows shut to avoid someone stealing their belongings.
It's no surprise that the daily commute is stressful and according to research, women are more likely to experience stress during their journey than men. This is because they're more likely to do something which is being called 'trip chaining' – where they make one or more stops on the way to work or when going home – for example to drop off or pick up the kids from school – and this makes it more likely that something will go wrong with their journey.
The stress of commuting can be bad for your health too especially if you travel longer distances. According to Christine Hoehner, researcher at Washington University School of Medicine "adults who commuted longer distances from home to work were less physically active, less physically fit, weighed more and had higher blood pressure than those people who had shorter commutes."
But the American researcher must be talking about commuters who aren't engaged in active travel, because if you cycle a longer distance then you're likely to be more physically active. However there is a risk of being knocked off you bike and there's the embarrassment of wearing clothing made of Lycra! What's your journey to work, college or school like?
词汇表
endure 忍受，忍耐
the daily grind 每天必须经历的苦差
tube train 一辆地铁
packed in like sardines 挤得像罐头里的沙丁鱼 （拥挤不堪）
cancellations 取消
season ticket 季票，定期票 （比如月票，年票）
network （交通）网络
past time 消遣方式
belongings 行李，个人财产
stressful 有压力的
'trip chaining' 分段出行（一个旅程被分成好几小段）
physically active 身体活跃
lycra 莱卡（制衣材料）