Question

【题目】 An abandoned car in Chicago worth about $600 has been issued more than $100, 000 in parking tickets (罚单) over the past three years. Now Jennifer Fitzgerald, 31, is stuck with the bill but says the 1999 Chevy Monte Carlo actually belongs to an ex-boyfriend who registered (登记注册) the car in her name without informing her.

The Expired Meter ( 停车计时器) reports that from May 23, 2009 to April 30, 2012, the Chicago Department of Finance (DOF) issued 678 tickets against the car, totaling $105, 761.80. It set a Chicago record both for the total number and amount of parking fines issued. In fact, it blew past the previous record holder, which was $65,000 from about 400 tickets.

But Fitzgerald says she doesn’t owe the city a dime (10 分硬币) and has filed a lawsuit (诉讼 ) in Cook County Circuit Court against the city of Chicago, United Airlines and the ex-boyfriend. Fitzgerald has two main arguments in her case. First, she says her ex-boyfriend, Brandon Preveau, is the actual owner of the car, having bought it from her uncle for $600 in 2008. In fact, Brandon paid for the car’s title (所有权), registration and insurance, but it was registered in Fitzgerald’s name. “Brandon used his 2007 income tax refund ( 退 款 ) to pay Patrick $600 for the car,” reads Fitzgerald’s complaint. “For reasons not recalled by Patrick, however, Patrick signed the title to the car over to Fitzgerald.”

Second, Fitzgerald’s lawyer is arguing that the city should have simply towed (拖走) the car after 30 days from O’Hare Airport, where it was parked and where Brandon worked at the time. According to Fitzgerald’s complaint, on or before November 17, 2009, Brandon drove the car into the parking lot and never drove it out again. And as the Expired Meter reports, Chicago law does state exactly that an abandoned vehicle is to be towed 30 days after being illegally parked.

【1】After the Chicago Department of Finance noticed the car, it _______.

A.wanted to break a record

B.tried its best to find its owner

C.kept issuing tickets against the car

D.decided to play a joke on its owner

【2】From Paragraph 3, we know that Jennifer Fitzgerald _______.

A.sold the car to her ex-boyfriend long ago

B.received the car from her ex-boyfriend

C.didn’t know anything about the car

D.wasn’t the real owner of the car

【3】Jennifer Fitzgerald filed a lawsuit against the city of Chicago because the city _______.

A.didn’t inform her as soon as it found the missing car

B.didn’t tow the vehicle after 30 days from O’Hare Airport

C.didn’t state exactly that an abandoned vehicle was to be towed

D.didn’t help her find the car when it was missing in the beginning

【4】After reading the passage we learn that Jennifer Fitzgerald _______.

A.doesn’t want to pay any money

B.thinks Patrick should pay the fines

C.isn’t trying to find her ex-boyfriend

D.has never been to O’Hare Airport

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】D

【3】B

【4】A

【解析】

这是一篇新闻报道。文章介绍了发生在芝加哥的一起停车诉讼案。

【1】细节理解题。根据第二段中The Expired Meter ( 停车计时器) reports that from May 23, 2009 to April 30, 2012, the Chicago Department of Finance (DOF) issued 678 tickets against the car, totaling $105, 761.80. 过期的计价器报告说，从2009年5月23日到2012年4月30日，芝加哥财政部门(DOF)对该车开出了678张罚单，总计105,761.80美元。可知，the Chicago Department of Finance从2009年到2012年一直对这辆汽车开罚票。 故选C项。

【2】推理判断题。根据第三段中First, she says her ex-boyfriend, Brandon Preveau, is the actual owner of the car, having bought it from her uncle for $600 in 2008. In fact, Brandon paid for the car’s title (所有权), registration and insurance, but it was registered in Fitzgerald’s name.首先，她说她的前男友布兰登·普里沃是这辆车的实际主人，2008年他以600美元的价格从她叔叔那里买下了这辆车。事实上，这辆车的所有权、注册费和保险费都是布兰登付的，但登记时用的是菲茨杰拉德的名字。可知， Fitzgerald并不是这辆车的主人。故选D项。

【3】细节理解题。根据最后一段中Fitzgerald’s lawyer is arguing that the city should have simply towed (拖走) the car after 30 days from O’Hare Airport, where it was parked and where Brandon worked at the time.菲茨杰拉德的律师认为，市政府应该在30天后将这辆车从奥黑尔机场拖走，当时布兰登就停在那里工作。可知，Fitzgerald的其中一个诉讼就是这个城市30天后，没有从奥黑尔机场拖走这辆车。故选B项。

【4】推理判断题。根据第三段中But Fitzgerald says she doesn’t owe the city a dime (10 分硬币) 但是菲茨杰拉德说她不欠一分钱；和最后一段中And as the Expired Meter reports, Chicago law does state exactly that an abandoned vehicle is to be towed 30 days after being illegally parked. 据过期计价器显示，芝加哥法律确实明确规定，被遗弃的车辆在非法停放30天后将被拖走。可知，Fitzgerald说她不欠这个城市一分钱，因为芝加哥法律规定，一辆废弃的车在非法停车30天后，将会被拖走。所以可以推知，Jennifer Fitzgerald认为这不是她的责任，不想付一分钱。故选A项。