$课文83 大选之后
904. The former Prime Minister, Mr. Wentworth Lane, was defeated in the recent elections.
前首相温特沃兹.莱恩先生在最近的大选中被击败。
905. He is now retiring from political life and has gone abroad.
他现在退出了政界，到国外去了。
906. My friend, Patrick, has always been a fanatical opponent of Mr. Lane's Radical Progressive Party.
我的朋友帕特里克一直是莱恩先生的激进党的强烈反对者。
907. After the elections, Patrick went to the former Prime Minister's house.
大选结束后，帕特里克来到了前首相的住处。
908. When he asked if Mr. Lane lived there, the policeman on duty told him that since his defeat, the ex-Prime Minister had gone abroad.
当他询问莱恩先生是否住在那里时，值班的警察告诉他这位前首相落选后出国去了。
909. On the following day, Patrick went to the house again.
第二天，帕特里克再次来到首相的住处。
910. The same policeman was just walking slowly past the entrance, when Patrick asked the same question.
昨天的那位警察正从门口慢慢走过，帕特里克上前问了和昨天同样的问题。
911. Though a little suspicious this time, the policeman gave him the same answer.
虽然那位警察这次有点疑心，但还是对他作了同样的回答。
912. The day after, Patrick went to the house once more and asked exactly the same question.
第三天，帕特里克又去了，提出了同前两天完全一样的问题。
913. This time, the policeman lost his temper. 'I told you yesterday and the day before yesterday,' he shouted,
这一次警察火了。“我昨天和前天都告诉过您了，”他大叫着，
914. Mr. Lane was defeated in the elections.
“莱恩先生在大选中被击败了，
915. He has retired from political life and gone to live abroad!
他已经退出了政界去国外了！”
916. 'I know,' answered Patrick, 'but I love to hear you say it!'
“这我都知道，”帕特里克说，“可我就是喜欢听你说出这此！”
$课文84 罢工
917. Busmen have decided to go on strike next week.
公共汽车司机决定下星期罢工。
918. The strike is due to begin on Tuesday.
罢工定于星期二开始，
919. No one knows how long it will last.
谁也不知道会持续多久。
920. The busmen have stated that the strike will continue until general agreement is reached about pay and working conditions.
司机们声称此次罢工将一直持续到就工资和工作条件问题达成全面协议的时候为止。
921. Most people believe that the strike will last for at least a week.
多数人认为此次罢工至少会持续一个星期。
922. Many owners of private cars are going to offer 'free rides' to people on their way to work.
很多私人汽车的车主正准备为乘车上班的人们提供“免费乘车”的服务，
923. This will relieve pressure on the trains to some extent.
这将在某种程度上减轻对火车的压力。
924. Meanwhile, a number of university students have volunteered to drive buses while the strike lasts.
与此同时，有一部分大学生自愿在罢工期间驾驶公共汽车。
925. All the students are expert drivers,
所有的学生都是开车的能手，
926. but before they drive any of the buses, they will have to pass a special test.
但在驾驶公共汽车之前，他们必须通过一项专门测验。
927. The students are going to take the test in two days' time.
学生们准备在两天后就接受测验。
928. Even so, people are going to find it difficult to get to work.
即使这样，人们仍会感到上班有困难。
929. But so far, the public has expressed its gratitude to the students in letters to the Press.
但到目前为止，公众已经向新闻界写信表达他们对学生们的感激之情了。
930. Only one or two people have objected that the students will drive too fast!
只有一两个人提出反对意见，说学生们会把车开得太快！
$课文85 活到老学到老
931. I have just received a letter from my old school, informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Stuart Page, will be retiring next week.
我刚刚收到母校的一封信，通知我说以前的校长斯图亚特.佩奇先生下星期就退休了。
932. Pupils of the school, old and new, will be sending him a present to mark the occasion.
为了纪念这个日子，学校的学生--无论老同学还是新同学--将送他一件礼物。
933. All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster's home.
所有凑钱买此礼品的人都将自己的名字签在一本大签名簿上，签名簿将被送到校长的家里。
934. We shall all remember Mr. Page for his patience and understanding and for the kindly encouragement he gave us when we went so unwillingly to school.
我们不会忘记佩奇先生对我们既有耐心又充满理解，也不会忘记在我们不愿去上学时他给予我们的亲切鼓励。
935. A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour next Thursday.
很多老同学都准备参加下星期四为他举行的告别宴会。
936. It is a curious coincidence that the day before his retirement, Mr. Page will have been teaching for a total of forty years.
佩奇先生退休的前一天正好是他执教满40年的日子，这真是奇妙的巧合。
937. After he has retired, he will devote himself to gardening.
他退休后，将致力于园艺。
938. For him, this will be an entirely new hobby.
对于他来说，这将是一种全新的爱好。
939. But this does not matter, for, as he has often remarked, one is never too old to learn.
但这没有关系，因为正如他常说的那样，人要活到老学到老。
