Lesson 84   On strike

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 continue until general agreement is reached about pay and working conditions. Most for 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 last. 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!

Summary writing

In not more than 80 words describe what will happen next week. Write two different paragraphs using the points and connections given below.

The busmen’s strike, which begins on Tuesday, may last a week. Because of this, car owners have offered to give rides to people going to work. University students, too, have volunteered to drive buses but they will have to pass a special test. Though it will be difficult to get to work, the public is grateful to the students. Only one or two people have objected that the students will drive too fast.

Because of the busmen’s strike, which begins on Tuesday and may last a week, car owners have offered to give rides to

people going to work. University students who have volunteered to drive buses will have to pass a special text. Despite尽管 the fact that it will be difficult to get to work, the public

is grateful to the students, except for one or two people who have objected that they will drive too fast.

Composition

Write two paragraphs in about 150 words using the ideas given below;

1 The strike began---the students drove badly---the buses were seldom很少 on time---often crowded拥挤---the public complained---the busmen were pleased.

2 The student threatened威胁 to go on strike---they did so---this angered生气 the busmen who returned to work.

Busmen were not satisfied感到满意的 with their low pay and poor conditions, so they went on strike. The strike began last Tuesday. No one knew how long it would last. This caused great trouble to those who have to go to work by bus everyday. A number of university students volunteered to drive buses, and they even offered ‘free rides’ to people on their way to school while the strike lasted. This would relieve pressure on the trains to some extent. But the students drove badly, as they were not expert drivers. As a result结果导致, the buses were seldom on time, and they were often crowded. The public began to complain, but the busmen were pleased.

Then the students threatened to go on strike, and they did so. This angered激怒 the busmen as well as 也 像……一样 不但……而且 the government. Finally, general agreement was reached and the busmen returned to work.        149 words

Letter writing

The Conclusion结局. Complete the following sentences;

1 I shall be looking…

2 I am very sorry for…

3 I hope you will…

4 I wish you…

5 Please give my…

1 I am looking forward to seeing you next week.

2 I am very sorry for any inconvenience麻烦 I have caused you.

3 I hope you will accept同意兑现 my apologies.

4 I wish you every success in your new job.

5 Please give my regards to your parents.

Special difficulties

Study the word order in the following sentences;

Peoples are going to find it difficult to get to work.

He thought it easy to pass the examination.

I feel it right that he should be punished.

I think it wrong for people to behave表现做 like that.

Exercise

Supply the missing parts in the following sentences. Your sentences must be similar类似的 in form to those given above.

1 He thought it ___.

2 He finds it unnecessary___.

3 ____to find a job.

4 She thinks it important___.

5 ___for him to wait so long.

6 ___ a good thing that ___.

1 He thought it safe to cross the rode.

2 He finds it unnecessary不必要的 to practice练习 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不明智for him to wait so long.

6 I considered it a good thing that she gave up smoking.

Multiple choice questions

Comprehension

1 The busmen say they won’t go back to work___.

A until next Tuesday

B until they agree about their holidays

C until they have solved their problems

d until the students stop driving the buses

c

2 What will be the main effect of the strike?

A There won’t be any buses on the road.

B Students will have to take a test.

C The trains will be crowded.

D There won’t be many private cars on the road.

C

Structure

3 The strike is due to begin on Tuesday. That’s when it___.

A is going to begin

B began

C has begun

D will have begun

A

4 How____? No one knows.

A long is will last

B long will it last

C it will last

D it lasts

B

5 The strike will last for a week. That’s what___ people believe.

A most of

B the most of

C the more

D most

D note; A中most of 后面的名词前要加the；B中的the多余，后面又少the: C 中the more 不合语法

6 Before___ any buses, they will have to take a special test.

A to drive

B drive

C driving

D they will drive

C note; before 后面只能跟名词或者是从句，D 是将来时，而主句已经是将来时了，从句要用现在时.

7 One or two people have objected___ the students.

A at

B for

C to

D against

C

Vocabulary

8 They will go on strike. So they___.

A will be fighting

B will be arguing争吵辩论

C won’t be working

D won’t be talking

C

9 No one knows how long it will last. They don’t know how long it will___.

A keep

B hold

C carry

D continue

D

10 It will last for at least a week. So it might be ___ than a week.

A more

B less

C much less

D a good deal less

A

11 They’ve volunteered to drive buses. That’s what they’re ___ to do.

A eager

B anxious

C willing

D impatient

C

12 The public has expressed its gratitude.

A annoyed

B thankless

C surprised

D thankful

D

Sentence structure

Rewrite this sentence, then check your answer against the text.

University students have volunteered to drive buses during the strike.

University students have volunteered to drive buses while the strike lasts.