VOA常速英语2007年-France Braces for Another Major Transportation

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
13 November 2007

France is bracing¹ for its second major transportation strike in a month, beginning Tuesday evening. From Paris, Lisa Bryant reports - although most French do not support the strike - it reflects wider discontent against reforms proposed by the country's conservative government.

The strike is expected to paralyze public transportation service, across the country, and may last until the week's end.  The strikers oppose government plans to scrap² special pension benefits for a small percentage of workers.  But unions see the walkout also as a way to flex³ their muscles and many see it as a major test to French President Nicolas Sarkozy's vows⁴ to push through wide-ranging reforms.

The strike comes less than a month after a similar October walkout brought public transportation to a halt.   Again, busses, subways and trains will be functioning only sporadically⁵ - if at all.  International train service is also expected to be effected.

The French government has called for talks, rather than strikes - an appeal aired once again by government spokesman Yves Jego.

In an interview on France-Info radio, Jego called for negotiations⁶ with unions.  However,  he says the government will not back down on reforms it vowed⁷ it would push through.

The strikes recall similar unrest in 1995, against proposed government reforms former French President Jacques Chirac eventually repealed⁸.

This time, some 55 percent of French are against the strike, according to a a new survey by France's BVA polling institute.

1 bracing   

adj.令人振奋的

参考例句：

• The country is bracing itself for the threatened enemy invasion. 这个国家正准备奋起抵抗敌人的入侵威胁。
• The atmosphere in the new government was bracing. 新政府的气氛是令人振奋的。

2 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

3 flex   

n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展

参考例句：

• We wound off a couple of yards of wire for a new lamp flex.我们解开几码电线作为新的电灯花线。
• He gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies.他收缩他的肱二头肌以吸引那些女士们的目光。

4 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

5 sporadically   

adv.偶发地，零星地

参考例句：

• There are some trees sporadically around his house. 他的房子周围零星地有点树木。 来自辞典例句
• As for other aspects, we will sporadically hand out questionnaires. 在其他方面，我们会偶尔发送调查问卷。 来自互联网

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

8 repealed   

撤销，废除( repeal的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The Labour Party repealed the Act. 工党废除了那项法令。
• The legislature repealed the unpopular Rent Act. 立法机关废除了不得人心的租借法案。