提起交通協管員，相信大家一定不陌生。在北京很多十字路口都能看到他們的身影。他們手里拿著小紅旗，脖子上帶著口哨，默默無聞地為城市交通做出了很大的貢獻。

請看《中國日報》相關報道：

The traffic police assistants are recruited and managed by Beijing Traffic Management Bureau.They mostly age in their 40s and 50s and as simple as their job may seem, these people are playing a major role in maintaining the capital's traffic order.

"During the green light, which lasts about 90 seconds, about 40 vehicles can pass the crossroad with an assistant keeping the order," says Zhou Zhentong, leader of Zhongguancun traffic police team.

"Without the assistants, only about 15 vehicles can pass the crossroad."

報道中說，交通協管員由北京市公安局公安交通管理局招錄和管理。他們的年齡大多在四五十歲。雖然他們的工作看似簡單，但是他們為維護首都的交通秩序做出了很大的貢獻。在綠燈亮的90秒內，有交通協管員的時候，40輛車可以通過十字路口，沒有交通協管員的時候只能通過15輛。

這里的“traffic police assistants”指的就是“交通協管員”?！癆ssistant”是“助理”的意思，交通協管員就是交警的助理。其他與“assistant”經常搭配的詞還有“teaching assistant”（助教）、“research assistant”（研究助理）等。

（英語點津 Linda 編輯）