18 years "too long" to wait for clean air: official

　　BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese official on Saturday urged speeded efforts to improve air quality in cities, saying the people cannot wait too long for the air to be cleaned.

　　"Eighteen years is too long to wait," said Lyu Xinhua when asked to comment the authority's timetable for major Chinese cities to make air quality conform to the national standard by 2030. "We wish to shorten the period."

　　Ministry¹ of Environmental Protection set timetables in January for cities experiencing different degrees of air pollution. Cities where average air pollution levels are 15 percent higher than the national standard or less should work to bring the levels to standard by 2015.

　　Cities suffering heavy air pollution that is 30 percent above the national standard or higher should try to meet standards by 2030, and cities between the previously² mentioned categories are expected to meet the standards by 2020.

　　Lyu, spokesman for the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said China's energy consumption is huge as the country is in the process of rapid development of industrialization and urbanization.

　　China's energy structure is not reasonable and the awareness³ of some companies to protect environment is still poor, Lyu said at a press conference.

　　He acknowledged that it is difficult for some cities, including Beijing, to meet the national standard in terms of air quality in short term.

　　Lyu said the government should invest more and enhance legislation on the environmental protection. The public's participation⁴ and supervision⁵ is also of great significance, he said.

　　Prolonged smog shrouded⁶ many parts of the country in January. Beijing experienced only five days with clear sky in the month, according to the Beijing municipal meteorological bureau.

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

4 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

5 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

6 shrouded   

v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密

参考例句：

• The hills were shrouded in mist . 这些小山被笼罩在薄雾之中。
• The towers were shrouded in mist. 城楼被蒙上薄雾。 来自《简明英汉词典》