2012考研英语真题解析铁路问题

In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into supersystems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly. As recently as 1995, the top four railroads accounted for under 70 percent of the total ton-miles moved by rails. Next year, after a series of mergers is completed, just four railroads will control well over 90 percent of all the freight moved by major rail carriers.

Supporters of the new supersystems argue that these mergers will allow for substantial cost reductions and better coordinated service. Any threat of monopoly, they argue, is removed by fierce competition from trucks. But many shippers complain that for heavy bulk commodities traveling long distances, such as coal, chemicals, and grain, trucking is too costly and the railroads therefore have them by the throat.

The vast consolidation within the rail industry means that most shippers are served by only one rail company. Railroads typically charge such“captive”shippers 20 to 30 percent more than they do when another railroad is competing for the business. Shippers who feel they are being overcharged have the right to appeal to the federal government’s Surface Transportation Board for rate relief, but the process is expensive, time consuming, and will work only in truly extreme cases.

Railroads justify rate discrimination against captive shippers on the grounds that in the long run it reduces everyone’s cost. If railroads charged all customers the same average rate, they argue, shippers who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation would do so, leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line. It’s a theory to which many economists subscribe, but in practice it often leaves railroads in the position of determining which companies will flourish and which will fail. “Do we really want railroads to be the arbiters of who wins and who loses in the marketplace?” asks Martin Bercovici, a Washington lawyer who frequently represents shippers.

Many captive shippers also worry they will soon be hit with a round of huge rate increases. The railroad industry as a whole, despite its brightening fortunes, still does not earn enough to cover the cost of the capital it must invest to keep up with its surging traffic. Yet railroads continue to borrow billions to acquire one another, with Wall Street cheering them on. Consider the ＄10.2 billion bid by Norfolk Southern and CSX to acquire Conrail this year. Conrail’s net railway operating income in 1996 was just ＄427 million, less than half of the carrying costs of the transaction. Who’s going to pay for the rest of the bill? Many captive shippers fear that they will, as Norfolk Southern and CSX increase their grip on the market.

1. According to those who support mergers, railway monopoly is unlikely because
[A] cost reduction is based on competition.
[B] services call for cross-trade coordination.
[C] outside competitors will continue to exist.
[D] shippers will have the railway by the throat.

2. What is many captive shippers’ attitude towards the consolidation in the rail industry?
[A] Indifferent.
[B] Supportive.
[C] Indignant.
[D] Apprehensive.

3. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that
[A] shippers will be charged less without a rival railroad.
[B] there will soon be only one railroad company nationwide.
[C] overcharged shippers are unlikely to appeal for rate relief.
[D] a government board ensures fair play in railway business.

4. The word “arbiters” (Line 7, Paragraph 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.

5. According to the text, the cost increase in the rail industry is mainly caused by
[A] the continuing acquisition.
[B] the growing traffic.
[C] the cheering Wall Street.
[D] the shrinking market.

1. According to those who support mergers, railway monopoly is unlikely because
在那些支持铁路公司合并的人看来，垄断之所以不可能发生，是因为
[A] cost reduction is based on competition. 成本的降低源于竞争。
[B] services call for cross-trade coordination. 服务需要跨行业协调。
[C] outside competitors will continue to exist. 外部竞争者将继续存在。
[D] shippers will have the railway by the throat. 托运商将掐住铁路公司的咽喉。
【答案】 C
【考点】 事实细节题。
【分析】 题目问的是支持并购的人为什么认为铁路行业内不会形成垄断。根据题干关键词 “支持者，合并，不可能”可以定位到第二段。支持者认为“Any threat of monopoly, they argue, is removed by fierce competition from trucks.”意思是“因为要和卡车竞争，所以不存在垄断的可能”。所以[C]最符合文章的意思。[A]不对，文章说支持者认为合并能降低成本，而不是竞争降低成本。[B]不对是因为文中只是说可以更好协调服务，而不是跨行业。[D]把主语和宾语弄反了，而且也不是支持者的观点，所以也是错误的。

2. What is many captive shippers’ attitude towards the consolidation in the rail industry?
许多受控制的托运商对铁路行业合并的态度是
[A] Indifferent. 冷淡的。 [B] Supportive. 支持的。
[C] Indignant. 义愤的。 [D] Apprehensive. 担心的。
【答案】 D
【考点】 态度题。
【分析】 本题问的不是作者的态度，而是货主的态度，要求考生根据文中所提供的线索做判断。通过题干关键词“shipper，attitude”来定位，如：“But many shippers complain that...”(第二段)，“Many captive shipper also worry...”(第五段)，“Many captive shippers fear that...”(第五段)，我们可以判断出货主的态度是“忧虑的”，对未来的状况“忧心忡忡”。所以[D]是正确的。

3. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that 从第三段中我们可以推断出
[A] shippers will be charged less without a rival railroad.
如果没有其他铁路公司的竞争，托运商被收取的费用将会少一些。
[B] there will soon be only one railroad company nationwide.
很快全国就会只剩下一家铁路公司。
[C] overcharged shippers are unlikely to appeal for rate relief.
被多收费的托运商不大可能会申诉减免费用。
[D] a government board ensures fair play in railway business.
政府部门保证铁路行业的公平竞争。
【答案】 C
【考点】 推断题。
【分析】 [A]正好与原文意思相反。从第三段第二句中，我们得知“铁路公司合并后，铁路公司向货主们收取的费用比以前有竞争的时候高20％至30％”，所以费用不是少一些，而是多一些。[B]缺乏依据，因为文中说绝大多数托运商将由一家公司服务，但是这不意味着只剩下一家公司，所以也是不对的。[C]是正确的，因为文章里说到，“货主们如果认为铁路公司收费过高，可以向联邦政府的机构申请降低费率。但是因为申诉的过程耗时费钱，而且只有在极端的情况下才会这么做”。由此，我们可以推断出他们不大可能提出申诉。[D]说“政府能保证铁路行业内的公平竞争”，这种说法缺乏依据。文中提及“水陆运输委员会”可以调节运输费率，但是这和公平竞争还是不同的。