提起交通协管员，相信大家一定不陌生。在北京很多十字路口都能看到他们的身影。他们手里拿着小红旗，脖子上带着口哨，默默无闻地为城市交通做出了很大的贡献。

请看《中国日报》相关报道：

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."

报道中说，交通协管员由北京市公安局公安交通管理局招录和管理。他们的年龄大多在四五十岁。虽然他们的工作看似简单，但是他们为维护首都的交通秩序做出了很大的贡献。在绿灯亮的90秒内，有交通协管员的时候，40辆车可以通过十字路口，没有交通协管员的时候只能通过15辆。

这里的“traffic police assistants”指的就是“交通协管员”。“Assistant”是“助理”的意思，交通协管员就是交警的助理。其他与“assistant”经常搭配的词还有“teaching assistant”（助教）、“research assistant”（研究助理）等。

（英语点津 Linda 编辑）