2 . A Beijing subway line linking with Daxing International Airport has now started a new recognition system, which allows passengers to enter and exit stations by just scanning the palm of a hand, according to a report in China Daily. The system is available at the ticket machines and gates at all stops along the line.

The pilot program was launched on Sunday on the Daxing Airport Express subway line to spare passengers the trouble of swiping a card or scanning a QR code to catch a train, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport said.

Any people aged 14 and above can first register the print of either palm through a simple, automated process and provide relevant information to authorize the payment gateway of WeChat, a popular messaging app in China. The registration is a one-time process and doesn’t require renewal. Once the palm print is registered, a passenger can just place the palm above the scanning machine when entering or exiting a subway station. The ticket gate will open automatically if the palm scan matches the palm print registered. The fare is automatically deducted (扣除) after exit.

To protect the users’ information, the system uses data masking and encryption (加密) technologies and it combines the use of palm print and vein mapping, which are different for every individual. It can recognize the user’s palm print and veins without contact, which is healthier, faster and safer than the ordinary check-in methods.

Currently, it is very useful for the elderly and those who have physical limitations. They can take the subway without using smartphone apps. Passengers can take subway trains if they do not have cash or when they forget their subway cards.

The system can be gradually used in offices, schools, gyms and restaurants, as it requires no contact and is therefore more safe and efficient.

A slow train in Southwest China boasting its own study room has attracted much attention from netizen. The train No. 5609/5610, which runs between Chongqing and Xiushan county, is     1     public-welfare “slow train”.

In some carriages, some seats have been replaced with desks and chairs near the windows to transform it into a“study carriage”for passengers     2     need.

The Chinese characters “Yu Yue” appear on the train, meaning “traveling and reading happily”. Other    3     (inspire) slogans can be seen throughout the adapted carriages.

Students from nearby schools often take the train between school and home. The trains are their “school buses” and many passengers use their travel time     4     (complete) homework.

On train No.Z150, which runs between Guiyang and Beijing, a     5     ( transform) “book bar” carriage has been welcomed by college students. There are nearly 400 universities and colleges in the cities along the line,     6    (make) train No.Z150 the best     7     (choose) for most students on those campuses.

Since 2015, the train’s dining car     8     (be) open for free at night to provide returning students with a lending library, free tea and other services. These small     9     (measure) by the railway department are a welcome comfort for passengers     10     need a relaxing place to continue their studies.

RE, a biking lifestyle company in Beijing, runs just one of the city clubs that have started to gather cool bikers together. The company’s shops not only provide bicycle gear (装备) and     1    (product), but also have cafes and flower and clothing sections as it aims     2     (promote) bike culture as a lifestyle choice and also expand the scale (范围) and togetherness of the biking community in the city.

Lao Yuan, CEO of RE, told the Global Times that the cycling culture has long existed in China and now a scene     3     was once commonplace during the 1980s, lots of people     4     (ride) bikes, has returned.

“The positive idea of sports can meet today’s urban (城市的) riders’ longing for     5    modern, eco-friendly lifestyle. Riding a bike     6     (be) becoming a form of spiritual healing for more and more people.” Luo noted.

Biking circles are not just connected through shops but also online communities. Taking the RE’s online platform     7     example, it has more than 20,000     8     (register) online members and over 20 sub-communities, in which bikers join in     9     (create) events such as designing their own riding clothes from recycled materials.

Such trends can also be seen on social media platforms such as media review site Douban and lifestyle platform Little Red Book, on which experienced riders share     10     (they) designed routes and experiences.