For years and years people have been saying that the railways are dead．“We can do without railways．” people say as if motorcars(汽车)and planes have made the railways unnecessary．We all keep hearing that trains are slow, that they lose money, and that they’re dying．But this is far from the truth．In these days of expensive oil, the railways have become highly competitive with motorcars and planes．If you want to carry people or goods from place to place, they’re cheaper than planes．And they have much in common with planes．A plane goes in a straight line and so does a railway．What is more, it takes you from the heart of a city into the heart of another．It doesn’t leave you as a plane does, miles and miles from the city centre．It doesn’t hold you up as a car does, in endless traffic jams．And a single train can carry goods which no plane or motorcar could ever do．
Far from being dead, the railways are very much alive．Modern railway lines give you a smooth, untroubled journey．Where else can you eat well, sleep in comfort, feel safe and enjoy the scene while you are traveling at speed at the same time?And we are only at the beginning．For we have just entered the age of super-fast, trains traveling at 150 miles an hour and more．Soon we will be wondering why we spend so much on motorways we can’t use because we have not enough money to buy the oil and planes we can’t fly in for the same reason．
(1)
Some people think the railways are unnecessary for many reasons except that ________．
[ ]
A．
planes and motorcars have taken the place of trains
B．
oil is expensive today
C．
trains are slow
D．
railways lose money
(2)
The writer’s idea seems to be that ________．
[ ]
A．
we can do without railways
B．
trains have much in common with motorcars and planes
C．
motorcars and planes are not as good as trains
D．
trains are as good as motorcars and planes
(3)
According to the writer, which of the following is NOT TRUE?
[ ]
A．
It is cheaper to travel by train than by plane．
B．
The railway station is usually at the centre of a city．
C．
No motorcar or plane can carry as many goods as a train does．
D．
When you get off the plane you will find yourself right in the city centre．
(4)
The best title for this passage could be ________．
[ ]
A．
Not the End, but the Beginning．
B．
Which is the Best：Train, Motorcars or Planes?
C．
Trains are More Competitive than Motorcars or Planes．
