紓解「胸貼背」窘境
The Tokyo Metro is trying to ease early morning congestion by offering free soba noodles and tempura to commuters who get on the train before rush hour.
東京地鐵為紓解一早尖峰時刻人擠人的現象，擬犒賞早鳥通勤族免費蕎麥麵和天婦羅。
ease(v.)減輕;減低;緩解congestion(n.)擁堵、壅塞、堵塞congested(adj.) 堵塞的;擁擠的;擠滿的=crowded=packedcommuter(n.)通勤者commute(v.)通勤rush hour尖峰時刻=peak hour
The offer specifically targets passengers who ride the Tozai line, the most crowded route of the Tokyo Metro system during commuting hours.
此優惠是專門乘坐東西線的乘客，東西線是東京地鐵系統通勤時間最繁忙的路線，
specifically(adv.)特別地;特意=(e)specially=particularlytarget(v.)以…為目標、主要對象
The Tozai line goes through Tokyo’s busy Otemachi and Nihombashi business districts and serves 1.65 million passengers per day.
行經東京繁忙的大手町和日本橋商業區，每天為165萬乘客提供服務，
passenger(n.)乘客
According to a government report in 2017, Tozai had a 199 percent congestion rate. For comparison, a 100 percent congestion rate means there are no free seats.
根據政府2017年公佈的報告，東西線的擁堵率為199％，相比之下，100％的擁堵率意味著車上沒有空位，
for comparison作為比較、對照
A 200 percent congestion rate means “bodies come into contact with each other and one feels considerable pressure.”
而200％的擁堵率意味著「乘客的身體彼此接觸，且乘客會感受到相當大的壓力。」
come into contact (with sth.) 接觸、碰到
The “tempura and soba challenge” is one of the incentives that the Tozai line has offered to encourage commuters to use trains during off-peak hours.
「天婦羅和蕎麥麵挑戰」是東西線鼓勵乘客在非尖峰時段搭車的獎勵措施之一，
incentive(n.)激勵、刺激、鼓勵、誘因=inducementtax incentives減稅優惠
So far, over 8,000 people have signed up online to beat the clock.
到目前為止，已有超過8千人在線上註冊，挑戰提早搭車，
The Tokyo Metro will email a voucher to passengers who keep up the early travel for 10 days in a row.
東京地鐵將透過電郵向持續10天提早搭車的乘客寄發兌換券，
voucher(n.)兌換券
The metro says it will hand out vouchers for tempura if 2,000 people meet the target over the next two weeks. If the number of early- bird passengers reaches 2,500, the company will reward the passengers with a bowl of free soba (buckwheat noodles), and a combo-meal with tempura and soba if the number reaches 3,000.
東京地鐵表示，如果在接下來的兩週內有2000人達標，將分發天婦羅的兌換券，如果提早搭車的乘客人數達到2500人，將招待免費的蕎麥麵；如果人數達到3000人，則以天婦羅和蕎麥麵套餐犒勞乘客。
combo-meal 套餐
The offer comes as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government launched an initiative to encourage the public to commute during off-peak hours.
東京地鐵的早鳥獎勵措施響應東京都政府發起的倡議，鼓勵大眾在非尖峰時段通勤，
come as…在…背景下發生、進行initiative(n.)倡議;措施=campaign=measureoff-peak hours離峰時段
As commuter congestion is expected to be among the logistical challenges that Tokyo will face when it hosts the 2020 Olympics, nearly 1,000 companies responded to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s campaign, allowing employees to start and end work earlier than usual, or to work from home.
因通勤壅塞預計將成為東京在舉辦2020年奧運會時面臨的後勤挑戰之一，近1,000家公司也響應東京都政府，同意允許員工比平時更早開始上班和下班，或在家工作。
among(prep.)在…之中;其中一個…