114 會考英文閱讀第 36 題詳解

In the picture is a UK electricity worker in the 1970s. Pictures like this appeared in many newspapers at the time. In 1972, electricity workers in the UK asked to be paid more, and they decided to stop working until their wish was answered. The government worried that there wouldn't be enough electricity for the country if these workers didn't go to work, so it agreed to give them the pay rise. However, the story didn't end there. A year later, the electricity workers asked for another pay rise. To get what they wanted, they worked shorter hours and acted like they would walk away from their job anytime. But this time, the government decided to fight. To save electricity, it made new rules for people to follow. For example, each family could turn on the heat in only one room; TV stations had to stop their shows at 10:30 p.m.; businesses could open only three days a week. People's lives were greatly changed. Without enough heat to keep the house warm, people covered themselves in blankets all the time. Hospitals had to use candles because they couldn't keep all the lights on. Factories couldn't keep their machines working. Many people lost their jobs. For months, people were paying the price while the electricity workers were fighting for their wish. In the end, the government agreed to the second pay rise. This picture shows what many people thought of the electricity workers during the "dark" time.