考研英语王文轲基础阅读写作

ReadingComprehension

PartA

2004Texti

Huntingforajoblatelastyear,lawyerGantRedmonstumbledacrossCareerBuilder,ajobdatabaseonthe

Internet.Hesearcheditwithnosuccessbutwasattractedbythesite's"personalsearchagent”.It'saninteractive

featurethatletsvisitorskeyinjobcriteriasuchaslocation,title,andsalary,thenE-mailsthemwhenamatching

positionispostedinthedatabase.Redmonchosethekeywordslegal,intellectualproperty,andWashington,D.C.

Threeweekslater,hegothisfirstnotificationofanopening.struckgold,“saysRedmon,whoE-mailedhis

resumetotheemployerandwonapositionasin-housecounselforacompany.

Withthousandsofcareer-relatedsitesontheInternet,findingpromisingopeningscanbetime-consumingand

inefficient.Searchagentsreducetheneedforrepeatedvisitstothedatabases.Butalthoughasearchagentworked

forRedmon,careerexpertsseedrawbacks.Narrowingyourcriteria,forexample,mayworkagainstyou:"Every

timeyouansweraquestionyoueliminateapossibility,“saysoneexpert.

Foranyjobsearch,youshouldstartwithanarrowconcept—whatyouthinkyouwanttodo—thenbroadenit.

“Noneoftheseprogramsdothat,“saysanotherexpert.t€There,snocareercounselingimplicitinallofthis.”

Instead,thebeststrategyistousetheagentasakindoftipservicetokeepabreastofjobsinaparticulardatabase;

whenyougetE-mail,consideritaremindertocheckthedatabaseagain.wouldnotrelyonagentsforfinding

everythingthatisaddedtoadatabasethatmightinterestme,,,saystheauthorofajob-searchingguide.

Somesitesdesigntheiragentstotemptjobhunterstoreturn.WhenCareerSite,sagentsendsoutmessagesto

thosewhohavesignedupforitsservice,forexample,itincludesonlythreepotentialjobs—thoseitconsidersthe

bestmatches.Theremaybemorematchesinthedatabase;jobhunterswillhavetovisitthesiteagaintofind

them-andtheydo."Onthedayafterwesendourmessages,weseeasharpincreaseinourtraffic,saysSeth

Peets,vicepresidentofmarketingforCareerSite.

Eventhosewhoaren,thuntingforjobsmayfindsearchagentsworthwhile.Someusethemtokeepaclose

watchonthedemandfortheirlineofworkorgatherinformationoncompensationtoarmthemselveswhen

negotiatingforaraise.Althoughhappilyemployed,RedmonmaintainshisagentatCareerBuilder.4tYoualways

keepyoureyesopen,^^hesays.Workingwithapersonalsearchagentmeanshavinganothersetofeyeslookingout

foryou.

41.HowdidRedmonfindhisjob?

[A]Bysearchingopeningsinajobdatabase.

[B]Bypostingamatchingpositioninadatabase.

[C]Byusingaspecialserviceofadatabase.

[DJByE-mailinghisresumetoadatabase.

41.Whichofthefollowingcanbeadisadvantageofsearchagents?

[A]Lackofcounseling.

[B]Limitednumberofvisits.

[C]Lowerefficiency.

fD]Fewersuccessfulmatches.

43.Theexpression“tipservice^^(Line4,Paragraph3)mostprobablymeans

[A]advisory.

[B]compensation.

[C]interaction.

[D]reminder.

44.WhydoesCareerSite'sagentoffereachjobhunteronlythreejoboptions?

[AJTofocusonbetterjobmatches.

[B]Toattractmorereturningvisits.

[C]Toreservespaceformoremessages.

[DJToincreasetherateofsuccess.

45.Whichofthefollowingistrueaccordingtothetext?

[A]Personalsearchagentsareindispensabletojob-hunters.

[BJSomesiteskeepE-mailingjobseekerstotracetheirdemands.

[C]Personalsearchagentsarealsohelpfultothosealreadyemployed.

[D]Someagentsstopsendinginformationtopeopleoncetheyareemployed.

2004Text2

Overthepastcentury,allkindsofunfairnessanddiscriminationhavebeencondemnedormadeillegal.But

oneinsidiousformcontinuestothrive:alphabetism.This,forthoseasyetunawareofsuchadisadvantage,refers

todiscriminationagainstthosewhosesurnamesbeginwithaletterinthelowerhalfofthealphabet.

IthaslongbeenknownthatataxifirmcalledAAAAcarshasabigadvantageoverZodiaccarswhen

customersthumbthroughtheirphonedirectories.LesswellknownistheadvantagethatAdamAbbotthasinlife

overZoeZysman.Englishnamesarefairlyevenlyspreadbetweenthehalvesofthealphabet.Yetasuspiciously

largenumberoftoppeoplehavesurnamesbeginningwithlettersbetweenAandK.

ThustheAmericanpresidentandvice-presidenthavesurnamesstartingwithBandCrespectively;and26of

GeorgeBush'spredecessors(includinghisfather)hadsurnamesinthefirsthalfofthealphabetagainstjust16in

thesecondhalf.Evenmorestriking,sixofthesevenheadsofgovernmentoftheG7richcountriesare

alphabeticallyadvantaged(Berlusconi,Blair,Bush,Chirac,ChretienandKoizumi).Theworld'sthreetopcentral

bankers(Greenspan,DuisenbergandHayami)areallclosetothetopofthealphabet,evenifoneofthemreally

usesJapanesecharacters.Asaretheworld'sfiverichestmen(Gates,Buffett,Allen,EllisonandAlbrecht).

Canthismerelybecoincidence?Onetheory,dreamtupinallthesparetimeenjoyedbythealphabetically

disadvantaged,isthattherotsetsinearly.Atthestartofthefirstyearininfantschool,teachersseatpupils

alphabeticallyfromthefront,tomakeiteasiertoremembertheirnames.Soshort-sightedZysmanjuniorgets

stuckinthebackrow,andisrarelyaskedtheimprovingquestionsposedbythoseinsensitiveteachers.Atthetime

thealphabeticallydisadvantagedmaythinktheyhavehadaluckyescape.Yettheresultmaybeworse

qualifications,becausetheygetlessindividualattention,aswellaslessconfidenceinspeakingpublicly.

Thehumiliationcontinues.Atuniversitygraduationceremonies,theABCsproudlygettheirawardsfirst;by

thetimetheyreachtheZysmansmostpeopleareliterallyhavingaZZZ.Shortlistsforjobinterviews,election

ballotpapers,listsofconferencespeakersandattendees:alltendtobedrawnupalphabetically,andtheir

recipientsloseinterestastheyploughthroughthem.

46.WhatdoestheauthorintendtoillustratewithAAAAcarsandZodiaccars?

[A]Akindofoverlookedinequality.

[B]Atypeofconspicuousbias.

[C]Atypeofpersonalprejudice.

fD]Akindofbranddiscrimination.

47.Whatcanweinferfromthefirstthreeparagraphs?

[A]InbothEastandWest,namesareessentialtosuccess.

[B]ThealphabetistoblameforthefailureofZoeZysman.

[C]Customersoftenpayalotofattentiontocompanies'names.

[DJSomeformofdiscriminationistoosubtletorecognize.

48.The4thparagraphsuggeststhat

[A]questionsareoftenputtothemoreintelligentstudents.

[B]alphabeticallydisadvantagedstudentsoftenescapefromclass.

[C]teachersshouldpayattentiontoalloftheirstudents.

[D]studentsshouldbeseatedaccordingtotheireyesight.

49.Whatdoestheauthormeanby“mostpeopleareliterallyhavingaZZZ”(Lines2-3,Paragraph5)?

[A]Theyaregettingimpatient.

[BJTheyarenoisilydozingoff.

[C]Theyarefeelinghumiliated.

[D]Theyarebusywithwordpuzzles.

5O.Whichofthefollowingistrueaccordingtothetext?

[A]PeoplewithsurnamesbeginningwithNtoZareoftenill-treated.

fB]VIPsintheWesternworldgainagreatdealfromalphabetism.

[C|Thecampaigntoeliminatealphabetismstillhasalongwaytogo.

[D]Puttingthingsalphabeticallymayleadtounintentionalbias.

2004Text3

Whenitcomestotheslowingeconomy,EllenSperoisn'tbitinghernailsjustyet.Butthe47-year-old

manicuristisn'tcutting,filingorpolishingasmanynailsasshe'dliketo,either.Mostofherclientsspend$12to

$50weekly,butlastmonthtwolongtimecustomerssuddenlystoppedshowingup.Speroblamesthesoftening

economy.agoodeconomicindicator,shesays."Iprovideaservicethatpeoplecandowithoutwhenthey're

concernedaboutsavingsomedollars.^^SoSperoisdownscaling,shoppingatmiddle-browDillard'sdepartment

storenearhersuburbanClevelandhome,insteadofNeimanMarcus.4tIdon'tknowifotherclientsaregoingto

abandonme,too,"shesays.

EvenbeforeAlanGreenspan'sadmissionthatAmerica'sred-hoteconomyiscooling,lotsofworkingfolks

hadalreadyseensignsoftheslowdownthemselves.FromcardealershipstoGapoutlets,saleshavebeenlagging

formonthsasshopperstempertheirspending.Forretailers,wholastyeartookin24percentoftheirrevenue

betweenThanksgivingandChristmas,thecautiousapproachiscomingatacrucialtime.Already,expertssay,

holidaysalesareoff7percentfromlastyear'space.Butdon'tsoundanyalarmsjustyet.Consumersseemonly

mildlyconcerned,notpanicked,andmanysaytheyremainoptimisticabouttheeconomy'slong-termprospects

evenastheydosomemodestbelt-tightening.

Consumerssaythey'renotindespairbecause,despitethedreadfulheadlines,theirownfortunesstillfeel

prettygood.Homepricesareholdingsteadyinmostregions.InManhattan,“there'sanewgoldrushhappeningin

the$4millionto$10millionrange,predominantlyfedbyWallStreetbonuses,saysbrokerBarbaraCorcoran.In

SanFrancisco,pricesarestillrisingevenasfrenziedoverbiddingquiets."Insteadof20to30offers,nowmaybe

youonlygettwoorthree,“saysJohnTealdi,aBayAreareal-estatebroker.Andmostfolksstillfeelpretty

comfortableabouttheirabilitytofindandkeepajob.

Manyfolksseesilverliningstothisslowdown.Potentialhomebuyerswouldcheerforlowerinterestrates.

Employerswouldn'tmindalittlefewerbubblesinthejobmarket.Manyconsumersseemtohavebeeninfluenced

bystock-marketswings,whichinvestorsnowviewasanecessaryingredienttoasustainedboom.Dinersmight

seeanupside,tooGettingatableatManhattan'shotnewAlainDucasserestaurantusedtobeimpossible.Not

anymore.Forthat,Greenspan&Co.maystillbeworthtoasting.

51.By“EllenSperoisn'tbitinghernailsjustyet”(Line1,Paragraph1).Theauthormeans

[A]Sperocanhardlymaintainherbusiness.

[B]Speroistoomuchengagedinherwork.

[C]Sperohasgrownoutofherbadhabit.

[D]Speroisnotinadesperatesituation.

52.Howdothepublicfeelaboutthecurrenteconomicsituation?

[A]Optimistic.[B]Confused.

[C]Carefree.[D]Panicked.

53.Whenmentioning"the$4millionto$10millionrange"(Lines3-4,Paragraph3),theauthoristalkingabout

[A]goldmarket.[B]realestate.

[C]stockexchange.[D]ventureinvestment.

54.Whycanmanypeoplesee"silverlinings“totheeconomicslowdown?

[A]Theywouldbenefitincertainways.

[B|Thestockmarketshowssignsofrecovery.

[C]Suchaslowdownusuallyprecedesaboom.

[D]Thepurchasingpowerwouldbeenhanced.

55.Towhichofthefollowingistheauthorlikelytoagree?

[AJAnewboom,onthehorizon.

[B]Tightenthebelt,thesingleremedy.

[C]Cautionallright,panicnot.

[D]Themoreventures,themorechances.

2004Text4

Americanstodaydon'tplaceaveryhighvalueonintellect.Ourheroesareathletes,entertainers,and

enterpreneurs,notscholars.Evenourschoolsarewherewesendourchildrentogetapracticaleducation-notto

pursueknowledgeforthesakeofknowledge.Symptomsofpervasiveanti-intellectualisminourschoolsaren't

difficulttofind.

“Schoolshavealwaysbeeninasocietywherepracticalismoreimportantthanintellectual,sayseducation

writerDianeRavitch."Schoolscouldbeacounterbalance.^Ravitch'slatestbook,LeftBack:ACenturyof

FailedSchoolReforms,tracestherootsofanti-intellectualisminourschools,concludingtheyareanythingbuta

counterbalancetotheAmericandistasteforintellectualpursuits.

Buttheycouldandshouldbe.Encouragingkidstorejectthelifeofthemindleavesthemvulnerableto

exploitationandcontrol.Withouttheabilitytothinkcritically,todefendtheirideasofothers,theycannotfully

participateinourdemocracy.Continuingalongthispath,sayswriterEarlShorris,.”Wewillbecomeasecond-rate

country.Wewillhavealesscivilsociety.^^

''Intellectisresentedasaformofpowerorprivilege,writeshistorianandprofessorRichardHofstadterin

Anti-IntellectualistninAmericanLife,aPulitzer-prizewinningbookontherootsofanti-intellectualisminUS

politics,religion,andeducation.Formthebeginningofourhistory,saysHofstadter,ourdemocraticandpopulist

urgeshavedrivenustorejectanythingthatsmellsofelitism.Practicality,commonsense,andnativeintelligence

havebeenconsideredmorenoblequalitiesthananythingyoucouldlearnformabook.

RalphWaldoEmersonandotherTranscendentalistphilosophersthoughtschoolingandrigorousbook

learningputunnaturalrestraintsonchildren:"Weareshutupinschoolandcollegerecitationroomsfor10or15

yearsandcomeoutatlastwithabellyfulofwordanddonotknowathing."MarkTwain'sHuckleberryFinn

exemplifiedAmericananti-intellectualism.Itsheroavoidsbeingcivilized-goingtoschoolandlearningtoread

-sohecanpreservehisinnategoodness.

Intellect,accordingtoHofstadter,isdifferentfromnativeintelligence,aqualitywereluctantlyadmire.

Intellectisthecritical,creative,andcontemplativesideofthemind.Intelligenceseekstograsp,manipulate,

re-order,andadjust,whileintellectexamines,ponders,wonder,theorizes,criticizes,andimagines.

Schoolremainsaplacewhereintellectismistrusted.Hofstadtersaysourcountry'seducationalsystemisin

thegripsofpeoplewho"JoyfullyandmilitantlyproclaimtheirhostilitytointellectandtheireagernesstoIdentify

withchildrenwhoshowtheleastintellectualpromise.”

56.WhatdoAmericanparentsexpecttheirchildrentoacquireinschool?

[A]Thehabitofthinkingindependently

[B]Profoundknowledgeoftheworld

[ClPracticalabilitiesforfuturecareer

[D]Theconfidenceinintellectualpursuits

57.WecanlearnformthetextthatAmericanshaveahistoryof.

[A]undervaluingintellect

[B]favoringintellectualism

[C]supportingschoolreform

[D]suppressingnativeintelligence

58.TheviewsofRavitchandEmersononschoolingare

[A]identical|B]similar

[C]complementary[DJopposite

59.Emerson,accordingtothetext,isprobably

[A]apioneerofeducationreform

[BJanopponentofintellectualism

[C]ascholarinfavorofintellect

[D]anadvocateofregularschooling

60.Whatdoestheauthorthinkofintellect?

[A]Itissecondtointelligence

fB]Itevolvesfromcommonsense

[C]Itistobepursued

[D]Itunderliespower

2003Text1

WildBillDonovanwouldhavelovedtheInternet.TheAmericanspymasterwhobuilttheOfficeof

StrategicServicesintheWorldWar11andlaterlaidtherootsfortheCIAwasfascinatedwith

information.Donovanbelievedinusingwhatevertoolscametohandinthe"greatgame"ofespionage

一spyingasa"profession".ThesedaystheNet,whichhasalreadyre-madepastimesasbuyingbooks

andsendingmail,isreshapingDonovan'svocationaswell.

Thelastrevolutionisn'tsimplyamatterofgentlemenreadingothergentlemen'se-mail.Thatkind

ofelectronicspyinghasbeengoingonfordecades.Inthepastthreeorfouryears,theworldwideweb

hasgivenbirthtoawholeindustryofpoint-and-clickspying.Thespookscallit"opensource

intelligence,MandastheNetgrows,itisbecomingincreasinglyinfluential.In1995theCIAhelda

contesttoseewhocouldcompilethemostdataaboutBurundi.Thewinner,byalargemargin,wasa

tinyVirginiacompanycalledOpen-SourceSolutions,whoseclearadvantagewasitsmasteryofthe

electronicworld.

AmongthefirmsmakingthebiggestsplashinthenewworldisStraitford,Inc.,aprivate

intelligence-analysisfirmbasedinAustin,Texas.Straitfordmakesmoneybysellingtheresultsofspying

(coveringnationsfromChiletoRussia)tocorporationslikeenergy-servicesfirmMcDermottInternational.

Manyofitspredictionsareavailableonlineat.

StraifordpresidentGeorgeFriedmansaysheseestheonlineworldasakindofmutually

reinforcingtoolforbothinformationcollectionanddistribution,aspymaster'sdream.Lastweekhis

firmwasbusyvacuumingupdatabitsfromthefarcornersoftheworldandpredictingacrisisinUkraine.

"Assoonasthatreportruns,we'llsuddenlyget500newinternetsign-upsfromUkraine,"saysFriedman,

aformerpoliticalscienceprofessor."Andwe'llhearbackfromsomeofthem,"Open-sourcespyingdoes

haveitsrisks,ofcourse,sinceitcanbedifficulttotellgoodinformationfrombad.That'swhereStraitford

earnsitskeep.

FriedmanreliesonaleanstaffinAustin.Severalofhisstaffmembershavemilitary-intelligence

backgrounds.Heseesthefirm'soutsiderstatusasthekeytoitssuccess.Straitford'sbriefsdon'tsound

liketheusualWashingtonback-and-forthing,wherebyagenciesavoiddramaticdeclarationsonthe

chancetheymightbewrong.Straitford,saysFriedman,takesprideinitsindependentvoice.

41.TheemergenceoftheNethas_______.

[A]receivedsupportfromfanslikeDonovan

[B]remoldedtheintelligenceservices

[C]restoredmanycommonpastimes

[D]revivedspyingasaprofession

42.Donovan'sstoryismentionedinthetextto.

[A]introducethetopicofonlinespying

[B]showhowhefoughtfortheUS

[C]giveanepisodeoftheinformationwar

[D]honorhisuniqueservicestotheCIA

43.Thephrase"makingthebiggestsplash"(line1,paragraph3)mostprobablymeans.

[A]causingthebiggesttrouble

[B]exertingthegreatesteffort

[C]achievingthegreatestsuccess

[D]enjoyingthewidestpopularity

44.Itcanbelearnedfromparagraph4that.

[A]Straitford'spredictionaboutUkrainehasprovedtrue

[B]Straitfordguaranteesthetruthfulnessofitsinformation

[C]Straitford'sbusinessischaracterizedbyunpredictability

[D]Straitfordisabletoprovidefairlyreliableinformation

45.Straitfordismostproudofits.

[A]officialstatus.

[B]nonconformistimage.

[C]efficientstaff.

[D]militarybackground.

2003Text2

Toparaphrase18th-centurystatesmanEdmundBurke,"allthatisneededforthetriumphofa

misguidedcauseisthatgoodpeopledonothing."Onesuchcausenowseekstoendbiomedicalresearch

becauseofthetheorythatanimalshaverightsrulingouttheiruseinresearch.Scientistsneedto

respondforcefullytoanimalrightsadvocates,whoseargumentsareconfusingthepublicandthereby

threateningadvancesinhealthknowledgeandcare.Leadersoftheanimalrightsmovementtarget

biomedicalresearchbecauseitdependsonpublicfunding,andfewpeopleunderstandtheprocessof

healthcareresearch.Hearingallegationsofcrueltytoanimalsinresearchsettings,manyareperplexed

thatanyonewoulddeliberatelyharmananimal.

Forexample,agrandmotherlywomanstaffingananimalrightsboothatarecentstreetfairwas

distributingabrochurethatencouragedreadersnottouseanythingthatcomesfromoristestedin

animals—nomeat,nofur,nomedicines.Askedifsheopposedimmunizations,shewantedtoknowif

vaccinescomefromanimalresearch.Whenassuredthattheydo,shereplied,"ThenIwouldhavetosay

yes.*'Askedwhatwillhappenwhenepidemicsreturn,shesaid,"Don'tworry,scientistswillfindsome

wayofusingcomputers."Suchwell-meaningpeoplejustdon'tunderstand.

Scientistsmustcommunicatetheirmessagetothepublicinacompassionate,understandableway—

inhumanterms,notinthelanguageofmolecularbiology.Weneedtomakecleartheconnection

betweenanimalresearchandagrandmother'shipreplacement,afather'sbypassoperation,ababy's

vaccinations,andevenapet'sshots.Tothosewhoareunawarethatanimalresearchwasneededto

producethesetreatments,aswellasnewtreatmentsandvaccines,animalresearchseemswastefulat

bestandcruelatworst.

Muchcanbedone.Scientistscould"adopt"middleschoolclassesandpresenttheirownresearch.

Theyshouldbequicktorespondtoletterstotheeditor,lestanimalrightsmisinformationgo

unchallengedandacquireadeceptiveappearanceoftruth.Researchinstitutionscouldbeopenedto

tours,toshowthatlaboratoryanimalsreceivehumanecare.Finally,becausetheultimatestakeholders

arepatients,thehealthresearchcommunityshouldactivelyrecruittoitscausenotonlywell-known

personalitiessuchasStephenCooper,whohasmadecourageousstatementsaboutthevalueofanimal

research,butallwhoreceivemedicaltreatment.Ifgoodpeopledonothingthereisarealpossibilitythat

anuninformedcitizenrywillextinguishthepreciousembersofmedicalprogress.

46.TheauthorbeginshisarticlewithEdmundBurke'swordsto_______.

[A]callonscientiststotakesomeactions

[B]criticizethemisguidedcauseofanimalrights

[C]warnofthedoomofbiomedicalresearch

[D]showthetriumphoftheanimalrightsmovement

47.Misledpeopletendtothinkthatusingananimalinresearchis.

[A]cruelbutnatural

[B]inhumanandunacceptable

[C]inevitablebutvicious

[D]pointlessandwasteful

48.Theexampleofthegrandmotherlywomanisusedtoshowthepublic's.

[A]discontentwithanimalresearch

[B]ignoranceaboutmedicalscience

[C]indifferencetoepidemics

[D]anxietyaboutanimalrights

49.Theauthorbelievesthat,infaceofthechallengefromanimalrightsadvocates,scientistsshould

[A]communicatemorewiththepublic

[B]employhi-techmeansinresearch

[C]feelnoshamefortheircause

[D]strivetodevelopnewcures

50.FromthetextwelearnthatStephenCooperis.

[A]awell-knownhumanist

[B]amedicalpractitioner

[C]anenthusiastinanimalrights

[D]asupporterofanimalresearch

2003Text3

Inrecentyears,railroadshavebeencombiningwitheachother,mergingintosupersystems,

causingheightenedconcernsaboutmonopoly.Asrecentlyas1995,thetopfourrailroadsaccountedfor

under70percentofthetotalton-milesmovedbyrails.Nextyear,afteraseriesofmergersiscompleted,

justfourrailroadswillcontrolwellover90percentofallthefreightmovedbymajorrailcarriers.

Supportersofthenewsupersystemsarguethatthesemergerswillallowforsubstantialcost

reductionsandbettercoordinatedservice.Anythreatofmonopoly,theyargue,isremovedbyfierce

competitionfromtrucks.Butmanyshipperscomplainthatforheavybulkcommoditiestravelinglong

distances,suchascoal,chemicals,andgrain,truckingistoocostlyandtherailroadsthereforehavethem

bythethroat.

Thevastconsolidationwithintherailindustrymeansthatmostshippersareservedbyonlyonerail

company.Railroadstypicallychargesuch"captive11shippers20to30percentmorethantheydowhen

anotherrailroadiscompetingforthebusiness.Shipperswhofeeltheyarebeingoverchargedhavethe

righttoappealtothefederalgovernment'sSurfaceTransportationBoardforraterelief,buttheprocessis

expensive,timeconsuming,andwillworkonlyintrulyextremecases.

Railroadsjustifyratediscriminationagainstcaptiveshippersonthegroundsthatinthelongrunit

reduceseveryone'scost.Ifrailroadschargedallcustomersthesameaveragerate,theyargue,shippers

whohavetheoptionofswitchingtotrucksorotherformsoftransportationwoulddoso,leaving

remainingcustomerstoshoulderthecostofkeepinguptheline.It'stheorytowhichmanyeconomists

subscribe,butinpracticeitoftenleavesrailroadsinthepositionofdeterminingwhichcompanieswill

flourishandwhichwillfail."Dowereallywantrailroadstobethearbitersofwhowinsandwholosesin

themarketplace?"asksMartinBercovici,aWashingtonlawyerwhofrequentlyrepresentsshipper.

Manycaptiveshippersalsoworrytheywillsoonbehiswitharoundofhugerateincreases.The

railroadindustryasawhole,despiteitsbrighteningfortunes,stilldoesnotearnenoughtocoverthecost

ofthecapitalitmustinvesttokeepupwithitssurgingtraffic.Yetrailroadscontinuetoborrowbillionsto

acquireoneanother,withWallStreetcheeringthemon.Considerthe$10.2billionbidbyNorfolk

SouthernandCSXtoacquireConrailthisyear.Conrail'snetrailwayoperatingincomein1996wasjust

$427million,lessthanhalfofthecarryingcostsofthetransaction.Who'sgoingtopayfortherestofthe

bill?Manycaptiveshippersfearthattheywill,asNorfolkSouthernandCSXincreasetheirgriponthe

market.

51.Accordingtothosewhosupportmergersrailwaymonopolyisunlikelybecause.

[A]costreductionisbasedoncompetition

[B]servicescallforcross-tradecoordination

[C]outsidecompetitorswillcontinuetoexist

[D]shipperswillhavetherailwaybythethroat

52.Whatismanycaptiveshippers'attitudetowardstheconsolidationintherailindustry?

[A]Indifferent.

[B]Supportive.

[C]Indignant.

[D]Apprehensive.

53.Itcanbeinferredfromparagraph3that.

[A]shipperswillbechargedlesswithoutarivalrailroad

[B]therewillsoonbeonlyonerailroadcompanynationwide

[C]overchargedshippersareunlikelytoappealforraterelief

[D]agovernmentboardensuresfairplayinrailwaybusiness

54.Theword"arbiters'*(line7,paragraph4)mostprobablyreferstothose.

[A]whoworkascoordinators

[B]whofunctionasjudges

[C]whosupervisetransactions

[D]whodeterminetheprice

55.Accordingtothetext,thecostincreaseintherailindustryismainlycausedby.

[A]thecontinuingacquisition

[B]thegrowingtraffic

[C]theche