The shippers hope each mate’s receipt is to be signed right

Text 3 In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, mergingsintossuper systems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly. As recently as 1995,the top four railroads accounted for under 70 percent of the total ton-miles moved by rails. Next year, after a series of mergers is completed, just four railroads will control well over 90 percent of all the freight moved by major rail carriers.

Supporters of the new super systems argue that these mergers will allow for substantial cost reductions and better coordinated service. Any threat of monopoly, they argue, is removed by fierce competition from trucks. But many shippers complain that for heavy bulk commodities traveling long distances, such as coal, chemicals, and grain, trucking is too costly and the railroads therefore have them by the throat.

The vast consolidation within the rail industry means that most shippers are served by only one rail company. Railroads typically charge such“captive”shippers 20 to 30 percent more than they do when another railroad is competing for the business. Shippers who feel they are being overcharged have the right to appeal to the federal government's Surface Transportation Board for rate relief, but the process is expensive, time consuming, and will work only in truly extreme cases. Railroads justify rate discrimination against captive shippers on the grounds that in the long run it reduces everyone's cost. If railroads charged all customers the same average rate, they argue, shippers who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation would do so, leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line. It's theory to which many economists subscribe, but in practice it often leaves railroads in the position of determining which companies will flourish and which will fail.“Do we really want railroads to be the arbiters of who wins and who loses in the marketplace?”asks Martin Bercovici, a Washington lawyer who frequently represents shipper. Many captive shippers also worry they will soon be his with a round of huge rate increases. The railroad industry as a whole, despite its brightening fortuning fortunes. still does not earn enough to cover the cost of the capital it must invest to keep up with its surging traffic. Yet railroads continue to borrow billions to acquire one another, with Wall Street cheering them on. Consider the .2 billion bid by Norfolk Southern and CSX to acquire Conrail this year. Conrail's net railway operating income in 1996 was just million, less than half of the carrying costs of the transaction. Who's going to pay for the rest of the bill? Many captive shippers fear that they will, as Norfolk Southern and CSX increase their grip on the market.

第51题：According to those who support mergers railway monopoly is unlikely because

A. cost reduction is based on competition.

B. services call for cross-trade coordination.

C. outside competitors will continue to exist.

D. shippers will have the railway by the throat.

I hope () was involved in that accident this morning was all right.

A、anyone

B、none

C、whoever

D、who

Which of the following are among Phil Crosby's "absolutes of quality'.

A . the performance of standard is zero defects

B . do everything right the first time, each time

C . constantly improve each product and each service

D . the measurement system is the cost of nonconformance

E . A and D only

If the shippers insist on ________ the cargo in unsound condition， remarks to that effect must be inserted in their Mate's Receipt， unless they issue us the letter of guarantee．

A.to load

B.loading

C.being loaded

D.being loading

Melba:It's late. I had to say goodbye.

Mrs. Blank：______

A、Hope you had a good time. See you tomorrow.

B、Why do you want to go now?

C、I'd like to say goodbye，too.

D、That's all right.

以下语句或语句组中，能正确进行字符串赋值的是( )。

A．char*sp；*sp="right!"；

B．char s[10]；s="right!"；

C．char s[10]；*s="right!"；

D．char*sp="right!"；

–– Jenny (Treading on someone’s foot):____I hope I haven’t hurt you.

–– John: It ’s all right.

A: Oh, I ’m sorry.

B: Oh, I ’m regretful.

C: Oh, excuse me.

D: Oh, forgive me.

159 Which of the following are among Phil Crosby's "absolutes of quality'.

A. the performance of standard is zero defects

B. do everything right the first time, each time

C. constantly improve each product and each service

D. the measurement system is the cost of nonconformance

E. A and D only

以下语句或语句组中能正确进行字符串赋值的是( )。

A．ehar以*sp; * sp = "right!";

B．char s[10] ;s = "right!";

C．char s [10]; * s = "right !";

D．char * sp = "right !";

The Shipping Articles shall be signed by each seaman and the ______.

A.Master of the vessel

B.Shipping Commissioner

C.Coast Guard

D.Customs Service