新概念英語第二冊Lesson 84 On strike

Lesson 84 On strike 罷工

First listen and then answer the question.
聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
Who will be driving the buses next week?
    
Busmen have decided to go on strike next week. The strike is due to begin on Tuesday. No one knows how long it will last. The busmen have stated that the strike will continue until general agreement is reached about pay and working conditions. Most people believe that the strike will last for at least a week. Many owners of private cars are going to offer 'free rides' to people on their way to work. This will relieve pressure on the trains to some extent. Meanwhile, a number of university students have volunteered to drive buses while the strike lasts. All the students are expert drivers, but before they drive any of the buses, they will have to pass a special test. The students are going to take the test in two days' time. Even so, people are going to find it difficult to get to work. But so far, the public has expressed its gratitude to the students in letters to the Press. Only one or two people have objected that the students will drive too fast!

New words and expressions 生詞和短語

strike n. 罷工
busman n. 公共汽車司機
state v. 正式提出，宣布
agreement n. 協(xié)議
relieve v. 減輕
pressure n. 壓力，麻煩
extent n. 程度
volunteer v. 自動提出，自愿
gratitude n. 感激
Press n. 新聞界
object v. 不贊成，反對

參考譯文

公共汽車司機決定下星期罷工。罷工定于星期二開始，誰也不知道會持續(xù)多久。司機們聲稱此次罷工將一直持續(xù)到就工資和工作條件問題達成全面協(xié)議的時候為止。多數(shù)人認為此次罷工至少會持續(xù)一個星期。很多私人汽車的車主正準備為乘車上班的人們提供“免費乘車”的服務(wù)，這將在某種程度上減輕對火車的壓力。與此同時，有一部分大學生自愿在罷工期間駕駛公共汽車。所有的學生都是開車的能手，但在駕駛公共汽車之前，他們必須通過一項專門測驗。學生們準備在兩天后就接受測驗。即使這樣，人們?nèi)詴械缴习嘤欣щy。但到目前為止，公眾已經(jīng)向新聞界寫信表達他們對學生們的感激之情了。只有一兩個人提出反對意見，說學生們會把車開得太快！

 

　　自學導讀
　　課文詳注 Further notes on the text
　　1．go on strike，罷工。
　　on strike表示“在罷工”：
　　The workers are on strike.
　　工人們在罷工。
　　It is not clear yet when the teachers on strike will return to their classrooms.
　　目前還不清楚罷課的教師何時會回到教室去。
　　Must we go on strike?
　　我們必須罷工嗎？
　　2．The strike is due to begin on Tuesday. 罷工定于星期二開始。
　　due表示“預(yù)定的”、“約定的”，后面可以跟帶to的不定式，也可以不跟。它后面通常有確定的時間狀語：
　　The plane is due（to arrive）in London at  9 o'clock.
　　飛機預(yù)定9點抵達倫敦。
　　The performance is due to begin at 7 o'clock in the evening.
　　演出定于晚上7點開始。
　　due to后面若是名詞，則它表示“由于”、“因為”（通常用于系動詞be之后）：
　　Our delay was due to the heavy traffic.
　　我們被耽擱了是因為交通擁擠。
　　3．…the strike will continue until general agreement is reached about pay and working conditions.……此次罷工將一直持續(xù)到就工資和工作條件問題達成全面協(xié)議的時候為止。
　　在until引導的時間狀語從句中，主語agreement的定語about pay and working conditions被謂語隔開了。因為謂語很短，如果定語緊跟agreement，則句子讀起來會頭重腳輕。這種修飾語與被修飾語隔開的情況通常在不會引起誤解時使用。如He looked at the girl with large blue eyes這句話就容易引起誤解，with large blue eyes既可修飾he也可修飾the girl。
　　4．to some extent，在某種程度上。
　　也可以用to a certain extent：
　　The weather has helped me to some/a certain extent.
　　天氣在某種程度上幫了我的忙。
　　5．press，新聞界，報界；記者們（集合名詞，后面動詞用單數(shù)或復數(shù)均可）。
　　Ian is a member of the press.
　　伊恩是位新聞界人士。
　　The press is/are waiting to see the president．
　　記者們在等著見總統(tǒng)。
　　6．Only one or two people have objected that the students will drive too fast!只有一兩個人提出反對意見，說學生們會把車開得太快！
　　object作動詞時后面可以跟從句，表示“提出異議”、“反對”；它后面也可以跟介詞to+名詞/動名詞，表示“反對”、“不喜歡”、“不贊成：
　　They objected that the book was too difficult for them.
　　他們提出異議，說這本書對他們來說太難了。
　　A lot of people object to smoking in public places.
　　許多人不贊成在公共場所吸煙。
　　Do you object to my sitting beside you?
　　你反對我坐在你旁邊嗎？

　　詞匯學習 Word study
　　1．it作先行賓語
　　it除了可以作虛主語（如It's 9 o'clock）外，還可以作先行主語（如It's a pleasure to be here），或用于分裂句（即強調(diào)句）中，如It was George who phoned Jack last night（是喬治昨晚給杰克打了電話）。另外，在主語+動詞+賓語+賓語補足語這個句型中，常用it作先行賓語，真正的賓語為后面的動詞不定式或從句：
　　People are going to find it difficult to get to work.
　　人們會感到上班有困難。（to get to work為find的真正賓語）
　　除find外，常用于這種結(jié)構(gòu)的動詞還有think，consider，feel，make，keep等：
　　He thought it easy to get the tickets.
　　他以為搞到票很容易。
　　They consider it impossible to finish the work in three days.
　　他們認為這項工作不可能在3天之內(nèi)完成。
　　She felt it wrong that they should leave the patient alone in the hospital.
　　她覺得他們把病人獨自留在醫(yī)院是不對的。
　　She felt it right for them to arrest the thief.
　　她認為他們逮捕小偷是對的。（for them是后面不定式的邏輯主語）
　　2．relieve vt.
　?。?）緩解，減輕：
　　This will relieve pressure on the trains to some extent.
　　這將在某種程度上減輕對火車的壓力。
　　This medicine has relieved my toothache.
　　這藥減輕了我的牙疼。
　?。?）使……寬心/寬慰，松一口氣：
　　He was much relieved to hear that the operation had been successful.
　　聽說手術(shù)成功，他大大地松了一口氣。
　　The news relieved the whole family.
　　這消息使全家人放了心。
　　3．volunteer
　　（1）vt. , vi.自愿，自動提出，自愿提供：
　　Some college students have volunteered to drive buses while the strike lasts.
　　一些大學生自愿在罷工期間駕駛公共汽車。
　　After the fire, many people volunteered their services.
　　大火之后，許多人自愿提供服務(wù)。
　　Frank has volunteered for the army.
　　弗蘭克自愿參軍。
　　（2）n. 自愿參加者，志愿者：
　　The road was built by volunteers.
　　這條路是由志愿者筑成的。
　　Are there any volunteers for a try?
　　有自愿試一試的人嗎？

　　練習答案 Key to written exercises
　　1．關(guān)鍵句型練習答案
　　A What will happen: will last (1.2) ; will continue until…is reached (11.3-4) ; will last (1.5); are going to offer (1.6);will relieve (1.7); will have to pass (1.10); are going to take (1.10); are going to find (11.10-11); will drive (1.12)
　　2．難點練習答案
　　1 He thought it safe to cross the road.
　　2 He finds it unnecessary to practise for long.
　　3 You'll find it hard to find a job.
　　4 She thinks it important to speak clearly.
　　5 I thought it unwise for him to wait so long.
　　6 I considered it a good thing that she gave up smoking.
　　3．多項選擇題答案
　　1c  2c  3a  4b  5d  6c
　　7c  8c  9d  10a  11c  12d