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英语阅读(1-2上半部分.)

来源:学生作业帮 编辑:作业帮 分类:英语作业 时间:2024/05/26 15:05:10
英语阅读(1-2上半部分.)
Huge trucks are a familiar sight to anyone who travels across the United States by car.But many travelers never meet a truck driver.Most people know little about the trucker’s way of life.
This way of life has certain disadvantages.The three-day periods away from home put a strain on family life.Wives complain that their husbands are not at home to deal with their children’s problems.In turn,drivers worry about their families while they are away.
Another problem is that truckers’ families can seldom plan ahead.It is hard to plan a party for a certain date or even to accept invitations.Friends often say to each other,“Come over next Saturday if your husband is back by then.”
In addition,of course,there is always the danger of accidents.Although the accident rate per mile is only about half the rate for passenger cars,a life spent on major highways can never be really safe.All truck drivers fear being forced to make a sudden turn or having to stop unexpectedly on an icy road.When such accidents happen,someone other than a truck driver is usually at fault.Truckers have a low opinion of the driving skills of the general public.When truck drivers meet,much of their conversation deals with careless driving habits—the habits of others on the road.But truck drivers and their wives also point to advantages in their way of life.The chief advantage is money.“How else could an uneducated man earn as much?” one trucker’s wife asked,sitting in the comfortable living room of their new home with its large color television set and expensive furniture.The average salary earned by truck drivers may be $25,000—$30,000 with some drivers earning as much as $40,000 each year.
Driving a truck requires little physical labor.At each end of the journey other workers load and unload the truck.For days at a time the driver’s life consists entirely of sitting,eating,and sleeping.It is not surprising that many truckers worry about gaining weight.
Some of the sleeping is done inside the truck.It is quite common for two men to ride together in a huge truck,one man driving while the other sleeps on a comfortable bed behind the driver.That part of the truck is usually air conditioned,and often it is furnished with all the comforts of home.
When a trucker does not sleep in the truck,he spends the night at a truck stop.Some truck stops have enough parking space for as many as 400 trucks.
another one!