Question

For years and years people have been saying that the railways are dead. “ We can do without railways.” People say…as if motorcars and planes have made the railways unnecessary. We all keep hearing that trains are slow, that they lose money, and that they’re dying .But this is far from the truth: in these days of expensive oil, the railways have become highly competitive with motorcars and planes. If you want to carry people or goods from place to place, they are cheaper than planes. And they have much in common with planes. A plane goes in a straight line and so does a railway. What is more, it takes you from the heart of a city into the heart of another. It doesn’t leave you up as a plane does, miles and miles from the city center. It doesn’t hold you up as a car does, in endless traffic jams, and a single train carry goods which a plane or a motorcar could never do.

Far from being dead, the railways are very much alive. Modern railway lines give you a smooth, untroubled journey. Where else can you eat well, sleep in comfort, feel safe and enjoy the scene while you are traveling at speed at the same time? And we are only at the beginning, for we have just entered the age of super-fast trains, trains traveling at 150 miles an hour and more. Soon we will be wondering why we spent so much on motorcars we can’t use because we have not enough money to buy the oil and planes we can’t fly for the same reason..

1.Some people think the railways are unnecessary for many reasons except that       .

A．planes and motorcars have taken the place of trains

B．oil is expensive today

C．trains are slow

D．railways lose money

2.According to the writer, which of the following is Not true?

A．It is cheaper to travel by train than by plane.

B．The railway station is usually at the center of the city.

C．When you get off the plane you will find yourself right in the city center.

D．No motorcar or plane can carry as many goods as a train does.

3.The writer thinks that the railways, far from being dead, are very much alive because      .

A．we can have a smooth and untroubled journey

B．we’ll not have enough money to fly in planes

C．we can now travel in super-fast train

D．all of the above

4.The best title for this passage may be”        ”

A．Not the End but the Beginning

B．Which is the Best: Train, Motorcar or Plane

C．Trains are More Competitive than Motorcars or Planes

D．Oh, Super-fast Trains

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.D

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：作者列举了一些现代火车的长处和飞机及汽车的一些短处，只是说明在油价昂贵的今天，火车跟飞机相比还是具有高度竞争力的.

1.细节题：从语篇第一段第2、3句中as if motorcars and planes have made the railways unnecessary. We all keep hearing that trains are slow, that they lose money, and that they’re dying . 即可判断ACD是正确的，选项B为正确答案。

2.细节题：选项C符合试题要求，因为它跟第1段第9、10句It doesn’t leave you up as a plane does, miles and miles from the city center.相悖。至于其他选项均可在语篇中找到依据，选C。

3.细节题：文章第二段提到：Modern railway lines give you a smooth, untroubled journey.和because we have not enough money to buy the oil and planes we can’t fly for the same reason.以及for we have just entered the age of super-fast trains,

说明ABC都对，所以选D

4.主旨题：从第二段的句子： Far from being dead, the railways are very much alive.和And we are only at the beginning,可知作者认为火车没有结束才刚刚开始。选 A

考点：考查社会生活类短文