①How can the train operators possibly justify yet another increase to rail passenger fares?②It has become a grimly reliable annual ritual: every January the cost of travelling by train rises,imposing a significant extra burden on those who have no option but to use the rail network to get to work or otherwise.③This year's rise, an average of 2.7 per cent，may be a fraction lower than last year's,but it is still well above the official Consumer Price Index(CPI) measure of inflation.

operator n.经营者，专业公司

justify v.证明……有理

fare n.车费

grimly ad.冷酷地；无情地

annual a.每年的；一年一次的

ritual n.惯例；例行公事

impose v.把…强加于

or otherwise 或相反，或其反面

inflation n.通货膨胀

火车运营商怎样才可能证明这又一次的铁路客运提价正当合理?这已变成雷打不动的年度惯例：每到一月，乘火车出行的费用就会上涨，给那些别无选择、只能利用铁路网上下班的人们带来大量的额外负担。今年(火车票价)的平均涨幅为2.7%，虽然可能略微低于去年，却仍远高于官方的消费者物价指数(CPI) 所反映的通胀水平。

①Successive governments have permitted such increases on the grounds that the cost of investing in and running the rail network should be borne by those who use it, rather than the general taxpayer.②why, the argument goes, should a car-driving pensioner from Lincolnshire have to subsidise the daily commute of a stockbroker from Surrey?③Equally, there is a sense that the travails of commuters in the South East, many of whom will face among the biggest rises, have received too much attention compared to those who must endure the relatively poor infrastructure of the Midlands and the North.

successive a.连续的；相继的

argument n.论据；理由

pensioner n.领养老金者

subsidise v.资助；补助

stockbroker n.股票经纪人

travail n.艰难的处境

endure v.忍耐；忍受

infrastructure n.基础设施建设

历届政府都准许了类似的提价，理由是铁路网的投资与运营成本理应由其使用者而非全体纳税人承担。这种论点认为，林肯郡一位开车出行的领养老金者凭什么要补贴萨里郡一位股票经纪人的日常通勤?此外，历届政府还认为，与中、北部地区不得不忍受相对落后的基础设施的通勤者相比，东南部地区通勤者的出行困境(其中许多人将面临最大的票价涨幅)受到了过多关注。

①However, over the past 12 months, those commuters have also experienced some of the worst rail strikes in years.②It is all very well train operators trumpeting the improvements they are making to the network, but passengers should be able to expect a basic level of service for the substantial sums they are now paying to travel.③The responsibility for the latest wave of strikes rests on the unions.④However,there is a strong case that those who have been worst affected by industrial action should receive compensation for the disruption they have suffered.

strike n.罢工

all very well 某人尽可做某事

expect v.要求；期望；指望

sum n.金额；款项

rest on依赖；依靠

case n.论据；理由

industrial action（罢工等）劳工行动

compensation n.补偿；赔偿）

disruption n.扰乱；干扰

然而，在过去的12个月里，东南部的通勤者还是经历了多年以来最严重的铁路罢工。火车运营商当然尽可以吹嘘自己如何改善了铁路网，但乘客既然支付了高昂的乘车费用，就理应可以要求基本水平的服务。虽然最近这波罢工潮的责任在于工会，但受劳工行动(这里指“铁路罢工”)影响最严重的人们完全有理由就其遭受的混乱获得赔偿。

①The Government has pledged to change the law to introduce a minimum service requirement so that, even when strikes occur, services can continue to operate.②This should form part of a wider package of measures to address the long-running problems on Britain’s railways.③Yes, more investment is needed, but passengers will not be willing to pay more indefinitely if they must also endure cramped, unreliable services, punctuated by regular chaos when timetables are changed, or planned maintenance is managed incompetently.④The threat of nationalisation may have been seen off for now, but it will return with a vengeance if the justified anger of passengers is not addressed in short order.

pledge v.保证给予；正式承诺

introduce v.推行；实施；采用

address v.设法解决；处理

cramped a.狭窄的；狭小的

punctuate v.不时打断

incompetently ad.无能力地；不能胜任地

nationalisation n.国有化经典搭配

see off赶走，驱逐

with a vengeance猛烈地；程度更深地

in short order立即；毫不耽搁地

政府已经承诺修改法律，推行最低服务要求，以保证即使发生罢工，铁路服务也仍可继续运行。除此之外，还应实施更广泛的一揽子措施，以解决英国铁路长期存在的痼疾。确实，这需要