A Train Floating On Air

A train that floats on air? It's not magic — it's magnets (磁). And it's close to reality.

         In Virginia USA the fall of 2002, a train with no wheels traveled on air and carried college students across their campus. In Japan, a whisper-quiet railway engine hovered and raced at 350 miles per hour using magnets and electricity as the power. And in China, a magnet train line linked Shanghai with nearby Pudong Airport.

These trains use magnetic levitation (悬浮) technology, “maglev” for short. They use the same rules as the magnets you pick up at home or school: opposite poles of magnets attract each other, and like poles repel each other.

How does it work?

Powerful magnets on the bottom of the train repel magnets on the track, which is actually just a magnet-filled guiding way. With a magnetic field of sufficient force, the train will go hovering on air, which seemed impossible to us in the past.

When an electrical current is sent through the track, the train moves. Turn the current backwards and the train slows down.

Maglev doesn't rely on the friction (摩擦力) of wheels on track, so it can climb a much steeper hill than a traditional train. And it can travel easily in snow and ice, something that could bring normal trains to a screaming stop.    

60.   This passage is about __________.

         A. maglev                   B. magnets                C. levitation               D. electricity

61.   Which of the following is a repelling action?

         A.                                B.                                C.                                D.

62.   What can we learn from the text?

         A. A magnet-filled guiding way is formed inside a maglev train.

         B. Instead of electricity, magnets are used as the power of a maglev.

         C. Maglev trains can climb hills with the help of magnet wheels.

         D. Electric currents decide the movements of a maglev train. 

63.   What is the difference between a maglev train and an ordinary train?

         A. A maglev train can climb mountains without power while an ordinary one can’t.

         B. A maglev train can travel in college campus while an ordinary train is not allowed.

         C. Travelling without a track, a maglev train is safer and smoother than an ordinary one.

         D. Floating on a track, a maglev train is faster, quieter than an ordinary railway train.

President Coolidge’s statement, “The business of America is business,” still points to a very important truth today — that business organizations have more prestige (威望) in American society than any other kind of organization, including the government. Why do business institutions still possess this great prestige?

One reason is that Americans view business as being more firmly based on the idea of competition than other organizations in society. Since competition is seen as the main source of progress and development by most Americans, competitive business organizations are respected. Competition is not only good in itself; it is the means by which other basic American values, such as individual freedom, equality of opportunity, and hard work are protected.

Competition protects the individual freedom by making sure that there is no monopoly (垄断) of power. Compared with one and all-powerful government, many businesses compete against each other for benefit. If one business tries to take unfair advantage of its customers, it will lose to the competing business which treats its customers more fairly. Since there are many businesses competing for the customers’ dollars, they cannot afford to treat them unfairly and the customers would lose nothing.

A contrast is often made between business, which is competitive, and government, which is a monopoly. Because business is competitive, many Americans believe that it gives more support for freedom than government, even though government leaders are elected by the people while business leaders are not. Many Americans believe that competition is as important, or even more important, as democracy in protecting freedom.

Competition in business is also believed to strengthen the idea of equal opportunities. Competition is seen as an open and fair race where success goes to any person regardless of his or her social class background. Competitive success is commonly seen as the American choice of the higher social position which is not based on one’s family background. Business is therefore viewed as an expression of the idea of equal opportunities.

Which of the following is discussed as the main topic in the passage?

A. Competition in America’s business.        B. Freedom in America’s business.

C. Americans’ different values.                   D. Business against government.

Americans believe that they can realize their personal values ______.

A. when given equal opportunities

B. through doing business

C. by protecting their individual freedom

D. by means of competition

Who can benefit from business competition?

A. Businessmen who compete.

B. Customers of those businesses.

C. People with the idea of equality and freedom.

D. Both business organizations and government.

It could be inferred from the passage that the author believes ______.

A. business in other countries are not as competitive as those in the USA

B. business problems are very important to the American government

C. the competition in business plays a very important role in America

D. American business is the most powerful one in the whole world

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