Delivery drivers during the coronavirus epidemic 疫情期间的快递小哥

马刚

作為“网约工”，在战“疫”期间，外卖员们穿梭在大街小巷，冒着比常人更高的感染风险，完成一笔笔订单。他们以“非凡的使命感”（remarkable sense of commitment）赢得了社会的尊重，成为一道道流动的风景和最美逆行者中的一部分。

难词探意

1. disinfect /？謣d？奘s？奘n？謖fekt/ v. 给……消毒

2. insulin /？謖？奘nsj？藜l？奘n/ n. 胰岛素

3. diabetic /？謣da？奘？藜？謖bet？奘k/ adj. 糖尿病的

4. poach /p？藜？尬t？蘩/ v. 水煮;炖

Ever since the COVID？鄄19 outbreak erupted in China， Gao Zhixiao， who works for delivery giant Meituan， has to take a health test each morning and spends 20 minutes disinfecting his motorcycle and clothes to avoid spreading germs during his route around Beijing. He walks out the door， hops on his scooter and then plunges into traffic.

It？蒺s one of the many ways life has changed for China？蒺s estimated 3 million motorcycle delivery drivers， who have shouldered an enormous burden as millions hide away in their homes to avoid infection by the deadly virus.

New regulations have curbed the level of permissible human contact. But such measures are not always possible and reducing human contact doesn？蒺t lessen drivers？蒺 sense of humanity. Gao once helped deliver insulin to an elderly diabetic woman. He first picked up her prescription， took it to the hospital， and then returned with her life？鄄saving drugs.

“After I gave her medicine， I stayed to talk to her，” he says. “Because I am also from a single？鄄parent family， I understand what it means to be old and living alone. She said that she hadn？蒺t eaten yet， because it was difficult to find food during the epidemic. So I made her instant noodles and two poached eggs， and then took the trash out when I left.”

“To be honest， I feel anxious and worried every day，” says Gao. “If I have a sudden cough， I immediately think that I might catch the disease， because I reach and serve so many people every day. But knowing that I also help others is my biggest joy.”

Li Fengjie took things a few steps further. As a Meituan rider in Wuhan， he knew that his services would be essential after the city of 11 million was locked down on Jan. 23. Li walked 30 miles to get to work after all public transport was halted.

“I felt a sense of responsibility because I was managing a team of other riders， and some were still working in Wuhan， so I had to help them，” he says. “All the doctors and nurses are coming to Wuhan to help， so we， the riders， should also fight with them on the frontline.”

The COVID？鄄19 outbreaks have seen drivers？蒺 status rise despite the fact that most of them enjoy decent salaries and crushing workloads. “Stuck in my house， I feel really desperate， but seeing delivery riders outside my window gives me some hope，” wrote one user on China？蒺s Twitter？鄄like Weibo recently. Also， on Feb. 25， China？蒺s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security added food delivery riders to its official national occupation list，which should mean better training， working conditions， job opportunities and career development for riders in the future.

1. Why does the author mention Gao Zhixiao in Para. 1？

A. To give a proof.

B. To raise a question.

C. To describe a scene.

D. To present an event.

2. What could be the driving force for Gao Zhixiao to help the sick woman？

A. His past education.

B. His family background.

C. His temporary impulse.

D. His working experience.

3. What does the underlined sentence in Para. 6 imply？

A. Li Fengjie covered a much longer distance than usual.

B. Li Fengjie contacted more suspected cases when he worked.

C. Li Fengjie did more courageous and meaningful things than Gao Zhixiao.

D. Li Fengjie worked harder than others during the outbreaks of the COVID？鄄19.

4. What do Gao Zhixiao and Li Fengjie have in common？

A. They both work in the epidemic center in China.

B. They connect with confirmed cases in their work.

C. They enjoy more decent salaries than most people.

D. They are ordinary heroes with responsibility and care.

Difficult sentence

It？蒺s one of the many ways life has changed for China？蒺s estimated 3 million motorcycle delivery drivers， who have shouldered an enormous burden as millions hide away in their homes to avoid infection by the deadly virus.

【翻譯】

【点石成金】句中的life has changed for China？蒺s estimated 3 million motorcycle delivery drivers是一个省略了that/in which的定语从句，修饰先行词ways;who引导的是一个非限制性定语从句，先行词为delivery drivers;as引导的是一个时间状语从句;to avoid infection by the deadly virus为动词不定式作目的状语。