万花筒 Kaleidoscope2007-11-18&11-19, 罢工效应凸显

Along the rails, there is kind of an empty feeling. But in the stations, the atmosphere is more one of confusion and frustration¹. An estimated 20 million passengers ride French public transportation each day, and while some trains, buses and subways are coming back online, many are not. And you didn't have to be using public transit² to find yourselves stuck. The strike's impact spared no one. And if anyone was profiting from it, it was the phone company which had to handle all those calls from people changing their plans because they could not get to where they were going. But a lot of people are not profiting from it. According to one estimate, the strike is costing the French economy 20 million euros, nearly $30 million, each day. Everyone from big businesses to the corner shops. Henry Depash says no train, no clients so he closed his station cafe for the day. Dominique Lucent isn't sure what her losses are going to be at a neighborhood bakery but she says unlike normal days, after 10:30 in the morning she has practically no customers at all. And it's not just the French who are affected³ by the strike. France is a nation that attracts 76 million tourists a year. Most depending on some point on public transportation.
It has not been a good experience. It's very hard with the language barrier, not being able to use the system.

So, what were the biggest troubles about, you know, being here?

Getting to the Eiffel Tower, getting to the Louver, any tourist spot was a lot more difficult, either taxi or walking you had to do. So you didn't get to see as much, basically, with the time that we had.

And if the striking transport workers who continue to fight against the government's planned pension reforms are leaving some confused, hurting financially or frustrated⁴, at least some French who have been hurt by the strike say their feelings have on beyond anger to disappointment with their country men.

I think it's a shame from the country, a shame for France, a shame internationally, and people that are striking are fighting for privilege that come from another century, but shouldn’t exist anymore. So it's a bit sad to paralyze a whole country especially when the majority of French people are actually against the strike.

Whatever their feelings about the strike, all those affected by it, including the strikers themselves, shared one thing in common -- no clear idea of how much longer it will go on. Jim Bitterman, CNN, Paris.

1 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

2 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》