华尔街中级英语Lesson 7

2 This is Brighton station. It’s a busy station. Many passengers travel up to London everyday from here. I’m going to talk to one of the passengers now. let’s talk to you first of all, please.
--- Can I ask do you travel on a train very often?
--- Not very much. Only occasionally¹, from where we live in the country to London.
--- Where do you originally come from?
--- Switzerland, … French speaking.
--- How do British trains are very clean, on time and always at the same hour. Each
   hour which is very, very convenient. They’re expensive. But so are they
   in England, expensive.
--- Are British trains getting better?
--- No, worse.
--- Oh, dear.

    3 Here’s a gentleman. Sir, where are you from?
--- Australia.
--- What do you think about rail service?
--- It seems fairly good. The trains seem reasonably clean and reasonably on time,
   so it’s alright.
--- How do they compare with Australian trains?
--- Fairly better, I think.
--- How have you found British Rail staff?
--- Fairly friendly, most of the time.
--- Splendid, thank you very much.

4
---Madam, could I have a quick word? Where are you from?
--- I live in England, actually. I’ve lived in England for 11 years. But I’m from
   Holland originally.
--- By comparison², I think British Rail is just appalling³.
--- What’s wrong with British Rail?
--- It doesn’t run on time. It breaks down half the time. You just can’t rely on it. Trains
   are dirty.
--- Have you experience of other railways around the world?
--- France, Holland. I think that’s about it. I travel in Portugal a bit, not very much.
--- And British Rail doesn't?
--- It doesn’t compare favorably to any of those.

5
--- And turning to you. Do you thin British Rail is doing quite a good job?
--- I think so, yes. I don’t come from this country, so I’ve just been here for a week.
--- Where are you from?
--- Norway.
--- How does British Rail compare with Norwegian Railways?
--- I think it’s pretty much the same.
--- Do you think there is anything we can do to improve the railway service?
--- I think they’re quite dirty at times.
--- Thanks very much. Thanks for your opinions.
--- Well, the local trains could be a little bit more on time.

6
--- Sir, can I ask you how often do you travel on British Rail?
--- Well, during week. I use it every day to go to work, but not around here.
   I travel from Lewisham to the center of London during the week.
--- So you’re a commuter⁴.
--- I suppose so. Yes, a short-distance commuter, yes.
--- How long does that journey take?
--- About 20 minutes, generally, yes.
--- Do the trains normally⁵ run to time?
--- They’re normally fairly on time. But what annoy me most is about that particularly
   route and that particular service. Is that it’s vastly overcrowded in the mornings.
   It’s really is immensely over crowded and dangerously overcrowded.
--- So can’t you get a seat?
--- Certainly not.
--- Never ever, in the morning can you get a seat from Lewisham to the center of
   London.
--- So how many people standing⁶ in the carriages?
--- As many as will squash⁷ in. And that’s what’s dangerous about it, in the light of
   what happened at Clapham Junction⁸ about 2 to 3 years ago. It, it really is appalling
   that is allowed to continue.
--- Thank you very much indeed. Nice to talk to you about this.

7
---Sir, if I can just interrupt you for a second? You’re reading your newspaper.
--- Have you just come off a train?
--- I have, yes.
--- Where was your journey.
--- Trains from Clapham Junction to Brighton where I live here.
--- Right, so that’s from London to Brighton.
--- Is that the journey you regular make?
--- Yes, every day.
--- Right, so you’re a commuter.
--- I’m indeed, yes.
--- How do you find the service?
--- In the morning good, in the evening less good.

8
--- What’s wrong with the service in the evening.
--- Not always reliable, often late.
--- How long does the journey take?
--- The journey to work takes me about an hour and fifteen minutes.
--- Do you always get a seat on that journey?
--- Yes, I make sure I do.
--- How do you do that?
--- In the morning, well, in the morning, in Brighton you always get a seat. Anyway
   in the morning in the evening I tend to cheat and sometimes sit in the first-class
   compartment⁹ but I do.
--- Your secret is save with me and no names.

1 occasionally   

adv.偶然地；非经常地

参考例句：

• He went on talking,occasionally wiping at his face with a towel.他继续说着，偶尔用毛巾擦一下脸。
• I like playing football best,but occasionally I play table tennis,too.我最喜欢踢足球，偶尔也打打乒乓球。

2 comparison   

n.比较，对照；比拟，比喻

参考例句：

• They make a comparison of New York to a beehive.他们把纽约比作一个蜂巢。
• This dress is really cheaper by comparison.比较起来，这件衣服确实便宜。

3 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

4 commuter   

n.(尤指市郊之间)乘公交车辆上下班者

参考例句：

• Police cordoned off the road and diverted commuter traffic. 警察封锁了道路并分流交通。
• She accidentally stepped on his foot on a crowded commuter train. 她在拥挤的通勤列车上不小心踩到了他的脚。

5 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 squash   

n.壁球，摺皱不堪，拥挤嘈杂的人群，浓缩果汁，美国南瓜；vt.压扁，压制；vi.变扁，压榨

参考例句：

• He is drinking lemon squash.他正在喝柠檬露。
• She sprained her ankle playing squash.她在打软式墙网球时扭伤了脚踝。

8 junction   

n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站

参考例句：

• There's a bridge at the junction of the two rivers.两河的汇合处有座桥。
• You must give way when you come to this junction.你到了这个路口必须让路。

9 compartment   

n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间

参考例句：

• We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴，整个客车隔间由我们独享。
• The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。