新西兰英语 40 Truck Drivers Protest

　　Truck drivers plan to protest¹ against the sudden increase in road user² charges. They are so angry that they plan to drive into New Zealand cities and towns during rush hour in the morning, and cause a traffic jam. Thousands of trucks will enter Auckland city from all the motorways³. Police suggested that people catching⁴ planes should stay overnight⁵ at a hotel near the airport. The police also suggested that people who don’t need to go to work, should stay at home.
The truck drivers are very angry because the government increased road user charges suddenly, without giving them a warning. The Minister of Transport, Annette King, said that the last time the government increased road user charges, they gave truck drivers one month’s warning, and truck and coach companies bought $17.5 million worth of road user licences⁶ before the new price started. Road user charges have to be paid in advance. Drivers or companies buy road user licences for 1,000km at a time.
Drivers of vehicles that use petrol don’t have to pay a separate road user tax because it is included in the price of the petrol. However, diesel⁷ does not have this tax included so cars, vans, trucks, buses and coaches that run on diesel have to pay road user charges.
Annette King said that people who use petrol in their cars, have to pay increases immediately without any warning so it is fair that those who use diesel and electricity to run their vehicles should also pay increases immediately. She also said it is fair that trucks and tourist coaches should pay towards the cost of repairing roads and building new roads.
Truck drivers, however, say that they are having a hard time already with increases in fuel. This new increase is up to an extra $48 for 1,000 km depending on the size of the truck. They say that the consumers will have to pay more for goods that are carried by truck. Tourist coach companies also say that this increase will be hard on them because they advertise their prices overseas two years in advance.
Annette King said that this is only the second increase in road user charges in 19 years.
Overseas, in many countries like Britain, truck drivers are protesting⁸ about the increase in fuel prices. They too are causing traffic jams.

1 protest   

v.反对，抗议；宣称；n.抗议；宣称

参考例句：

• I can't pass the matter by without a protest.我不能对此事视而不见，我要提出抗议。
• We translated his silence as a protest.我们把他的沉默解释为抗议。

2 user   

n.用户，使用者

参考例句：

• The company is the biggest user of oil.该公司是最大的石油用户。
• The umbrella keeps the rains off the user.雨伞使撑伞人免受雨淋。

3 motorways   

n.高速公路( motorway的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Most of Britain's motorways radiated from London. 英国的大多数公路从伦敦向四方延伸。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Cuba is well served by motorways. 古巴的高速公路四通八达。 来自辞典例句

4 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

5 overnight   

ad.前一天晚上，一夜间 a.前一天晚上的

参考例句：

• She stayed overnight in the hotel. 她在旅馆过了一夜。
• Our success is not won overnight. 我们的成功不是一夜之间得来的。

6 licences   

n.许可( licence的名词复数 )；许可证；放纵；放荡

参考例句：

• Their licences have expired. 他们的执照已到期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• If any manufacturing licences are negotiated it will be his job to prepare the necessary documents. 如果有什么生产许可证谈成了，那准备必要的文件就是他的事。 来自企业管理英语口语（第二版）(1)

7 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

8 protesting   

v.声明( protest的现在分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• They were formally protesting. 他们正式提出抗议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They were protesting soaring prices. 他们抗议物价暴涨。 来自辞典例句