Until last spring, Nia Parker and the other kids in her neighborhood went to school on Bus 59．But as fuel rose, the school district needed to find a way to cut its transportation costs．So the school's busing company redrew its route map, cancelling Nia's bus altogether．Now, Nia and her neighbors travel the half mile to school via a “walking school bus” － a group of kids, guarded by an adult or two, who make the walk together．
Like the rest of us, school districts are feeling affected by rising fuel costs－and finding new ways to adapt．The price of fuel has gone up 34 percent in the past two years．For the typical American school district, bus bills total 5 percent of the budget．As administrators look to cut down budget, busing is an inviting target, since it doesn't affect classroom instruction (or test scores)．More than one third of school administrators have cancelled bus stops or routes in order to stay within budget．
Many parents are delighted to see their kids walking to school, partly because many did so themselves：according to a 1969 survey, nearly half of school kids walked or biked to school, compared with only 16 percent in 2001．Modern parents have been leery of (对……存有戒心) letting kids walk to school for fear of traffic, crime or simple bullying, but with organized adult supervision(监护), those concerns have disappeared．
Schools and busing companies are finding other ways to save．In rural areas where busing is a must, some schools have even chosen four-day school weeks．Busing companies instruct drivers to avoid extra stops from routes and to turn off the engine while waiting．They are also using computer software to determine the most fuel-efficient routes, which aren't always the shortest ones．
There could be downsides, however, to the busing cutbacks．If every formerly bused student
begins walking to school, it's an environmental win－but if too many of their parents decide to
drive them instead, the overall carbon footprint can grow．Replacing buses with many more parent-driven cars can also increase safety risks：a 2002 report concluded students are 13 times safer on a school bus than in a passenger car, since buses have fewer accidents．And some students complain about the long morning hikes, particularly when the route contains a really big hill．
(1)
What do we learn about the“walking school bus”from the passage?
[ ]
A．
It does not consume fuel at all．
B．
It is very popular with school kids．
C．
It aims to keep children strong and healthy．
D．
It is a heavy burden on the traffic．
(2)
What do some schools do in order to save on transportation costs?
[ ]
A．
They stop giving drivers good training．
B．
They choose to shorten the school week．
C．
They call off routes or take the shortest routes．
D．
They switch to buses which are more fuel-efficient．
(3)
What may eventually happen with the busing cutbacks?
[ ]
A．
More students may choose to take public transportation．
B．
The safety of school buses may be decreased sharply．
C．
Competition among bus companies may become fiercer．
D．
There may be an increase in carbon dioxide emissions．
(4)
The author's attitude towards busing cutbacks is ________．
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