12.The main idea of the passage is .
A. the
prejudice against women in various fields
B. women in
Sierra Leone, striving for their political rights
C. women in
Sierra Leone, challenge for men’s status
D. women in
Sierra Leone, being involved in politics
D
Every day 25
million U.S. children ride school buses. The safety record for these buses is
much better than for passenger cars; but nevertheless, about 10 children are
killed each year riding on large school buses, and nearly four times that
number are killed outside buses in the loading zones. By and large, however,
the nation’s school children are transported to and from school safety.
Even though
the number of school bus accidents is not large, the safety of children is
always of intense public concern. While everyone wants to see children
transported safely, people are divided about what needs to be done-particularly
whether seat belts should be compulsory.
People in favour of seat belts on school buses-many of them parents
and medical organizations-argue that seat belts are necessary not only to
reduce fatality and injury, but also to teach children lessons about the
importance of using them routinely in any moving vehicle. A side benefit, they
point out, is that seat belts help keep children in their seats, away from the
bus driver.
People who
object to seat belt installation suggest that children are already well
protected by the school buses that follow the Nation Highway Traffic Safety
Administration’s (NHTSA) safety requirements set in 1977. They also believe that
many children won’t wear seat belts anyway, and that may damage the belts or
use them as weapons to hurt other children.
A new
Research council report on school bus safety suggest that there are alternate
safety devices and procedures that may be more effective and less expensive.
For example, the study committee suggested that raising seat backs four inches
may have the same safety effectiveness as seat belts.
The report
sponsored by the Department of transportation at the request of Congress, re
views seat belts extensively while taking a broader look at safety
in and around school buses.