一. 课文内容
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 'freerides' 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 express its gratitude to the students in letters to the Press. Only one or two people have objected that the students（语调扬起来） will（习惯性动作） drive too fast!
二. 小词积累
1. object
1）名词: 客观，物体，目标，对象，宾语
2）动词: 不喜欢;不赞成;反对；If you object to something, you express your dislike or disapproval of it. [V to n] [V that] [V] [V with quote]
A lot of people will object to the book...
很多人都会对这本书表示反感。
2. 罢工: go on strike;请愿: petition
3. to some extent
4. nip sth. in the bud
把…消灭在萌芽状态；防患于未然；If you nip something such as bad behaviour in the bud, you stop it before it can develop very far. [V inflects] [Informal]
5.
解雇
1） fire
2） kick out更口语化
3） lay off
4）get the sack和 give sb. the sack是口语中用得比较多的俚语。
Don’t offend your boss,or he wouldgive you the sackat any time.不要得罪那老板，否则的话他随时炒你的鱿鱼。
5）get the boot 和 give sb. the boot字面意思是“得到靴子”，“给某人
靴子”，也就是被踢了一脚，叫你走路的意思，引申被解雇、被炒鱿鱼的意
思。
Ever since Igot the bootfrom my job, money has been tight.
6） get the axe 和 give sb. the axe字面意思是“得到斧子”和“给某人斧
子”， 这里axe“砍”的意思，引申出被解雇、被炒鱿鱼的意思。
Lakshmi got the axe from her job because she often took leave without permission.
7) get the heave-ho和 give sb. heave-hoheave-ho 是“抛弃”“扔
掉”的意思，get the heave-ho 和 give sb. the axe 指（被）开除或解雇。
In my opinion, he should simplyget the heave-hofor his irresponsibility.
8) get the pink slip pink slip“粉红的小纸条”， 在美国公司老板如果要解聘
员工，就在员工的工资袋里加一张“粉红纸条”，说明雇员被解雇的原因。约定成俗，
pink slip就成了解雇通知书的同义词。
He told them they better shape up or they'llget a pink slip.他告诉他们要好好干，否则会被解雇。
离职
quit/ walk out of a job/ resign/ Take voluntary redundancy 采取自愿离开. (Take VR, 公司通常会給 Severance package遣散费)/ Give notice 通知. (離职通知, 通常是兩个星期前提出) I've given my company notice to quit.
6. voice 观点，想法
7. stampede 踩踏事件
8. pros and cons UK [ˌprəʊz ən ˈkɒnz] US [ˌproʊz ən ˈkɑnz] noun [plural]
the advantages and disadvantages of something
9. 零和博弈 Zero-sum game 双赢 win-win
10. 耳塞: earplug
三. 读音纠正（来源于小伙伴们的纠音，非常感谢）
1. work 注意没有l的音，不要乱加音
2. the students（语调扬起来） will drive too fast!
3. meanwhile重音在前
4. fast last 梅花音
5. exit 英音/'eksɪt/ 美音 /'ɛɡzɪt/
6. lasts ts发成ci 类似的还有itself ，另外ds发"zi"
7. election 是/ɪ'lɛkʃən/而不是/i:/衣
8. continue /kən'tɪnju/ 不是/ ɒ/
9. student /'studnt/而且 /n/要明显读出来，d的发音不明显
10. general /'dʒenərəl/，结尾的l 要发出来；2-pressure/'preʃər/ r要发出来
11. 再次出现：that跟后面的从句一起连读
12. patriot /'petrɪət/ patriotic /ˌpetrɪ'ɑtɪk/
四. 语法解析
1. will这里表示习惯性动作，总是。Only one or two people have objected that the students will drive too fast!
2. due
1)由于;因为If an event isdue tosomething, it happens or exists as a direct result of that thing.
【搭配模式】：v-link PREP n
The country's economic problems are largelydueto the weakness of the recovery...
该国的经济问题很大程度上是因为复苏乏力。
2) 应有的;应得的;应得到的Something that isdue, or that isdue tosomeone, is owed to them, either as a debt or because they have a right to it.
I was sent a cheque for £1,525 and advised that no further pension wasdue...我收到了一张 1,525 英镑的支票，并被告知我应得的养老金到此为止。
I've got some leave due to me and I was going to Tasmania for a fortnight.我打算利用应享有的假期去塔斯马尼亚呆两周。
3) ADJ 形容词到期的;预期的;预定到达的If something isdueat a particular time, it is expected to happen, be done, or arrive at that time.
The results are due at the end of the month...预计月底会有结果。
4) (期待很长时间后)预期应得的,预计应到的If someone isdue forsomething, that thing is planned to happen or begiven to them now, or very soon, oftenafter they have been waiting for it for a long time.
He is not due for release until 2020.他要到 2020 年才能被释放。
The first price increases are due to come into force in July...第一批提价预计将在7月开始执行。
5) ADJ 形容词适当的;适合的;充分的Dueattention or consideration is the proper, reasonable, or deserved amount of it under the circumstances.
After due consideration it was decided to send him away to live with foster parents...充分考虑之后决定将他送到养父母那儿生活。
6) ADV 副词(用在north，south，east或west前表示方向)正Dueis used before the words 'north', 'south', 'east', or 'west' to indicate that something is in exactly the direction mentioned