- 阅读理解A
题干：Inrecentyears,railroadshavebeencombiningwitheachother,mergingintosupersystems,causingheightenedconcernsaboutmonopoly.Asrecentlyas1995，thetopfourrailroadsaccountedforunder70percentofthetotalton-milesmovedbyrails.Nextyear,afteraseriesofmergersiscompleted,justfourrailroadswillcontrolwellover90percentofallthefreightmovedbymajorrailcarriers.Supportersofthenewsupersystemsarguethatthesemergerswillallowforsubstantialcostreductionsandbettercoordinatedservice.Anythreatofmonopoly,theyargue,isremovedbyfiercecompetitionfromtrucks.Butmanyshipperscomplainthatforheavybulkcommoditiestravelinglongdistances，suchascoal，chemicals，andgrain’truckingistoocostlyandtherailroadsthereforehavethembythethroat.Thevastconsolidationwithintherailindustrymeansthatmostshippersareservedbyonlyonerailcompany.Railroadstypicallychargesuch“captive”shippers20to30percentmorethantheydowhenanotherrailroadiscompetingforthebusiness.Shipperswhofeeltheyarebeingoverchargedhavetherighttoappealtothefederalgovernment'sSurfaceTransportationBoardforraterelief,buttheprocessisexpensive,timeconsuming,andwillworkonlyintrulyextremecases.Railroadsjustifyratediscriminationagainstcaptiveshippersonthegroundsthatinthelongrunitreduceseveryone'scost.Ifrailroadschargedallcustomersthesameaveragerate，theyargue，shipperswhohavetheoptionofswitchingtotrucksorotherformsoftransportationwoulddoso，leavingremainingcustomerstoshoulderthecostofkeepinguptheline.It'satheorytowhichmanyeconomistssubscribe,butinpracticeitoftenleavesrailroadsinthepositionofdeterminingwhichcompanieswillflourishandwhichwillfail.“Dowereallywantrailroadstobethearbitersofwhowinsandwholosesinthemarketplace?”asksMartinBercovici,aWashingtonlawyerwhofrequentlyrepresentsshippers.Manycaptiveshippersalsoworrytheywillsoonbehitwitharoundofhugerateincreases.Therailroadindustryasawhole,despiteitsbrighteningfortunes，stilldoesnotearnenoughtocoverthecostofthecapitalitmustinvesttokeepupwithitssurgingtraffic.Yetrailroadscontinuetoborrowbillionstoacquireoneanother,withWallStreetcheeringthemon.Considerthe$10.2billionbidbyNorfolkSouthernandCSXtoacquireConrailthisyear.Conrail'snetrailwayoperatingincomein1996wasjust$427million,lessthanhalfofthecarryingcostsofthetransaction.Who'sgoingtopayfortherestofthebill?Manycaptiveshippersfearthattheywill，asNorfolkSouthernandCSXincreasetheirgriponthemarket.
题目：The word “arbiters” ( Line 6，Para.4)most probably refers to those_____. - A 、who work as coordinators
- B 、who function as judges
- C 、who supervise transactions
- D 、who determine the price
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参考答案【正确答案：B】
词汇题。"arbiter"的意思是“仲裁者”，可以通过上下文猜测到这个含义。这个词出现在第四段最后一句, 其实它要表述的内容已在前一句体现了 ：“…，but in practice it often leavesrailroads in the position of determining which companies will flourish and which will fail”。由此，我们可以猜测出“arbiter”指的是“those who are in the position of determining something”。B 选项符合文意。
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- A 、early acts for men to follow as examples
- B 、particular places for men to occupy especially because of their importance
- C 、things that men should agree upon
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- 2 【阅读理解A】 The word “oscillated” (Line 3, Paragraph 3) most probably means（）.
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- A 、misfortune
- B 、instability
- C 、disadvantage
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- A 、suspicious
- B 、secure
- C 、shrewd
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- A 、afraid of technology
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- A 、suspicious
- B 、secure
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- 7 【阅读理解A】The word "mania" (Line 4，Para.2) most probably means_____.
- A 、fun
- B 、craze
- C 、hysteria
- D 、excitement
- 8 【阅读理解A】The word “homogenizing” ( Line 1，Paragraph 1 ) most probably means_____.
- A 、identifying
- B 、associating
- C 、assimilating
- D 、monopolizing
- 9 【阅读理解A】The word ” bummer" ( Line 4，Para.5 ) most probably means something_____.
- A 、religious
- B 、unpleasant
- C 、entertaining
- D 、commercial
- 10 【阅读理解A】The word “gizmos”(Line 1，Para.2)most probably means_____.
- A 、programs
- B 、experts
- C 、devices
- D 、creatures
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