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¡¡¡¡µÚÒ»¶ÎÖÐÐľ䣺 In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into super systems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly. ½ü¼¸Ä꣬Ìú·¹«Ë¾·×·×ºÏ²¢×é³É³¬¼¶¼¯ÍÅ£¬ÕâÒýÆðÈËÃǶÔ¢¶ÏÐÐΪµÄ¼«´ó¹Ø×¢¡£

¡¡¡¡µÚ¶þ¶ÎÖÐÐľ䣺 Supporters of the new super systems argue that these mergers will allow for substantial cost reductions and better coordinated service. Ö§³ÖÌú·¼¯ÍŵÄÈ˱ç½âµ½£¬¼æ²¢½«´øÀ´³É±¾µÄ´ó·ù½µµÍ£¬Äܹ»¸üºÃµÄЭµ÷·þÎñ¡£

¡¡¡¡µÚÈý¶ÎÖÐÐľ䣺 The vast consolidation within the rail industry means that most shippers are served by only one rail company. Ìú·ÔËÊäÐÐÒµ´ó¹æÄ£ºÏ²¢Òâζ×ÅÖ»ÓÐÒ»¼Ò¹«Ë¾Îª´ó¶àÊýÍÐÔËÈËÌṩ·þÎñ¡£

¡¡¡¡µÚËĶÎÖÐÐľ䣺 Railroads justify rate discrimination against captive shippers on the grounds that in the long run it reduces everyone¡¯s cost. Ìú·¹«Ë¾ÈÏΪ¶ÔÓÚÖ÷ÒªÍÐÔËÈ˵ķÑÂʲîÊǺÏÀíµÄ£¬ÒòΪ´Ó³¤Ô¶½Ç¶È¿¼ÂÇÕâ»á½µµÍËùÓÐÈ˵ijɱ¾¡£

¡¡¡¡µÚÎå¶ÎÖÐÐľ䣺 Many captive shippers also worry they wil soon be hit with a round of huge rate increases.Ðí¶à¡°±»¿Ø¡±ÍÐÔËÈË»¹µ£ÐÄËûÃǺܿ콫ÔâÓöÒ»ÂÖеĴó·ùÕǼۡ£

¡¡¡¡51. According to those who support mergers, railway monopoly is unlikely because.

¡¡¡¡[A] cost reduction is based on competition[B] services call for crossª²trade coordination

¡¡¡¡[C] outside competitors will continue to exist

¡¡¡¡[D] shippers will have the railway by the throat

¡¡¡¡52. What is many captive shippers¡¯ attitude towards the consolidation in the rail industry?

¡¡¡¡[A] Indifferent.[B] Supportive. [C] Indignant.[D] Apprehensive.

¡¡¡¡53. 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

¡¡¡¡54. The word ¡°arbiters¡± (line 6, 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

¡¡¡¡55. 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

¡¡¡¡Text 4

¡¡¡¡It is said that in England death is pressing, in Canada inevitable and in California optional. Small wonder. Americans¡¯ life expectancy has nearly doubled over the past century. Failing hips can be replaced, clinical depression controlled, cataracts removed in a 30ª²minutes surgical procedure. Such advances offer the aging population a quality of life that was unimaginable when I entered medicine 50 years ago. But not even a great healthª²care system can cure death¡ªand our failure to confront that reality now threatens this greatness of ours.

¡¡¡¡Death is normal.We are genetically programmed to disintegrate and perish, even under ideal conditions. We all understand that at some level, yet as medical consumers we treat death as a problem to be solved. Shielded by thirdª²party payers from the cost of our care, we demand everything that can possibly be done for us, even if it¡¯s useless. The most obvious example is lateª²stage cancer care. Physiciansª²frustrated by their inability to cure the disease and fearing loss of hope in the patient¡ªtoo often offer aggressive treatment far beyond what is scientifically justified.

¡¡¡¡In 1950, the U.S. spent $12.7 billion on health care. In 2002, the cost will be $1540 billion. Anyone can see this trend is unsustainable. Yet few seem willing to try to reverse it. Some scholars conclude that a government with finite resources should simply stop paying for medical care that sustains life beyond a certain age¡ªsay 83 or so. Former Colorado governor Richard Lamm has been quoted as saying that the old and infirm ¡°have a duty to die and get out of the way¡±, so that younger, healthier people can realize their potential.

¡¡¡¡I would not go that far. Energetic people now routinely work through their 60s and beyond, and remain dazzlingly productive. At 78, Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone jokingly claims to be 53.Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O¡¯Connor is in her 70s, and former surgeon general C.Everett Koop chairs an Internet startª²up in his 80s.These leaders are living proof that prevention works and that we can manage the health problems that come naturally with age. As a mere 68ª²yearª²old, I wish to age as productively as they have.

¡¡¡¡Yet there are limits to what a society can spend in this pursuit. Ask a physician, I know the most costly and dramatic measures may be ineffective and painful. I also know that people in Japan and Sweden, countries that spend far less on medical care, have achieved longer, healthier lives than we have. As a nation, we may be overfunding the quest for unlikely cures while underfunding research on humbler therapies that could improve people¡¯s lives.