The world is walking faster according to a CNN report on May 2007. A group of scientists conducted a study on pedestrian speeds in 32 major cities around the world. The results were compared to a similar study done ten years ago and the findings show that on average city folk are walking ten percent faster. Singaporeans who are the world’s fastest walk 30% faster than a decade ago. The only Chinese city in the top ten is Guangzhou which ranks fourth and people there walk 20% faster.

据CNN2007年5月2日的报道，世界走得更快了。一群科学家在世界32个大城市里进行调查的结果，与10年前同样的调查相比，现在人的走路步伐平均快了10％。世界走路最快的是新加坡人，比10年前的步伐加快了30％。全世界10个人群步行最快的城市中，中国只占一个，广州排名第四，比10年前快了20％。

When I heard the news of this study I went to the People’s Square in Urumqi to conduct my own unscientific observations. I used a stopwatch to time fifteen different people as they walked a 50 meter stretch of concrete. A businessman in his thirties strolled by at 27 seconds. In 27 seconds two high school girls walked half the distance. A woman with a shopping bag and high heels sauntered 50 meters at 37 seconds. An old man pushing his friend in a wheelchair took 52 seconds. The fastest travelers took 12 seconds. They were a young man and his girlfriend on a slick red bike. He was pedaling aimlessly and steering with one hand. She was sitting on the crossbar staring at him through a pair of dark sunglasses.

听到这个调查以后，我去乌鲁木齐市人民广场进行我自己的不算科学的观察。我使用一个秒表测量15位市民从一片大概50米距离的水泥地面走过的速度。一个30岁左右的男商人用27秒散步走过去了。两个初中女生用27秒走了距离的一半。一个穿高跟鞋并拿着一些购物袋的女士在37秒内闲逛过了那50米。一位老人推着轮椅上的老朋友走过时花了52秒。最快的旅行者花了12秒，他们是一对骑着一辆有趣的红色自行车的情侣。男友随便骑着，用一只手操纵方向，坐在横梁上的女友透过墨镜凝视他。

I decided to time myself to see how I compared. It took me 21 seconds to cross 50 meters using my New York pace. This is when I make the sidewalk a racetrack. Efficiency overtakes courtesy. My mind is set on getting things done better and faster than everyone around me. This is how I learned to walk and think in America which is quite self absorbed. I walked the distance a second time at my Urumqi pace and did it a full eight seconds slower. This time I looked outside myself and noticed some children feeding a flock of pigeons couples waltzing under the trees the old man pushing his friend in a wheelchair. They were talking heatedly about something and it seemed so much more important than whatever I was occupied with. 

我也测试了自己，使用我的“纽约步伐”穿越50米我花了21秒。这步伐是我把人行道当跑道，效率高得有点失礼，此时我在考虑如何比周围的人更好、更快地做所有的事。在美国，这是我学会的走法和想法，且这是很专注自我的。我用“乌鲁木齐步伐”再走了一遍，这次走得一共慢了8秒，而且我的角度不是自己。我发现几个小孩喂鸽子、树下的几对夫妻跳华尔兹舞、那位老人推着轮椅上的朋友等。他们俩激烈地谈某件事，好像他们的话比我走向的事情重要得多。

The researchers who conducted the world wide study said that the walking pace of city dwellers is a significant insight into the physical and social health of a city. In this respect I feel that I have become a bit healthier after coming to Urumqi. I may not be able to make as much money as in New York Guangzhou or Singapore but in many ways I can live better.

进行世界性调查的研究者说市民的行走速度对于了解一个城市的人群和社会健康是很有意义的。从这个方面来看，到乌鲁木齐的我好像更健康一点。我在乌鲁木齐挣的钱可能不如纽约、广州、新加坡等地那么多，但是在其他方面我能够生活得更好。