题目内容
Captain Cook found Australia _____ an astonishing land which _____ the settlements for foreigners.
- A.to be; was to become
- B./; became
- C.to be; became
- D.being; was to become
When JetBlue captain Clayton Osbon became unpredictable, his co-pilot invented a reason for him to go back into the cabin.Once the captain was out of the cockpit (驾驶舱) , the co-pilot locked the door to keep the captain from returning.Passengers, some with law enforcement experience, calmed the captain.The flight changed course to Amarillo, Texas where the captain was hospitalized.
Incidents in which a pilot has had an in-flight psychological breakdown are rare.But how could it happen at all? Though pilots are required to have an examination at least once a year by a physician approved by the FAA, there are no formal procedures in place to test pilots for signs of psychological problems.
At most airlines, pilots are members of a union.A pilot who appears to have a psychological or an alcohol problem can be reported to a union member whose job it is to investigate.If there is a problem, the pilot is given the choice of getting treatment or being reported to management.But at airlines, such as Allegiant, JetBlue, and Virgin American where there is no union, pilots are – to say the least - unwilling to report a fellow pilot to management.
In most professions, a person experiencing emotional difficulties is free to consult a doctor.Rut an airline pilot in therapy is viewed with suspicion both by the airline and by the FAA.No pilot wants to be put under extra examination by an agency that has the power to revoke their license or end their employment.That being the case, pilots are less likely than people in other professions to seek help.
There may be no way to make sure this never happens again, but its possibility can be reduced. Tests such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory ( MMPI) can reliably detect depression, paranoia, schizophrenia, and other problems.The FAA could require pilots to take the MMPI or a similar test on a periodic basis.Whether such testing becomes required will depend upon the public's response to this incident and whether additional incidents take place.
Flying is remarkably safe.But incidents such as this cause concern.
【小题1】What does the underlined word "revoke" most probably mean?
A.delay | B.cancel | C.interrupt | D.renew |
A.Because they are tested for signs of psychological problems every year. |
B.Because they are likely to be treated by physicians. |
C.Because they are supported by the airlines. |
D.Because they might be fired. |
A.satisfied | B.indifferent | C.concerned | D.disapproving |
A.Entertainment | B.Sports | C.Business | D.Society |
Try this little test. A man dressed completely in black is sitting at a bar in a country pub. He is drinking one whisky after another. After three hours, the man in black leaves the pub and walks drunkenly down a small country road. There are no lights, and there is no moon. A car without headlights approaches. The driver notices the man, however, and is able to brake in time to avoid an accident. How could the driver see the man in black? Think about this.
The reason we can get stuck with this – and other problems in life—is that we make assumptions. If we assume that the man in black is out for an evening drink, then the problem is a hard one to solve.
The dictionary describes an assumption as something we take for granted or suppose to be true. Assumptions are essential to logical thinking and decision-making, but what happens if they are false?
Sometimes false assumptions can lead to disaster. On 8 January 1989, a British Midland Airways Boeing took off from Heathrow for Belfast. The number-two (right) engine, which had caused trouble on the previous flight, had been cleared. Twenty minutes after take-off, the plane began to shake violently. The flight recorder later showed what had happened. The captain asked the co-pilot what the problem was. “It’s the f-ing right engine again!” he replied. The captain ordered no.2 engine to be shut down, and the lefthand (no.1) engine to be turned on for an emergency landing. The 737 crashed on the edge of the M1 motorway. The cause of the crash? The captain and copilot made a false assumption and shut down the wrong engine. Of the 118 passengers, 39 died and 74 suffered serious injury.
The more risky or the more expensive the decision, the more important it is to check assumptions. There is a nice way to remember the importance of assumption checking. Look at the letters in the word ASSUME, and note that taking things for granted can make an ASS(傻瓜) of U and ME.
1. What purpose does Paragraph 1 serve in the passage?
A. To provide background information of the topic.
B. To attract readers attention to the topic.
C. To use an example to support the topic.
D. To offer basic knowledge of the topic.
2. The main purpose of the passage is to remind the readers _________.
A. of the importance of making assumptions
B. of the danger of making assumptions
C. to make assumptions before dealing with problems
D. to check assumptions before dealing with problems
3. The best title for this passage may probably be __________.
A. Assumptions Lead To Disaster
B. Ways of Avoiding False Assumption
C. When Things Are Not as They First Seem
D. Assumptions and Decision-making
4. The most probable reason that the driver can see the man in black is that .
A. there were bright stars in the sky when the accident happened.
B. the driver had very good eyesight.
C. the accident happened where the lights were bright.
D. the accident happened during the afternoon, in daylight.