In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into super 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 hit 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 1.02 billion bid by Norfolk Southern and CSX to acquire Conrail this year. Conrail's net railway operating income in 1996 was just 427 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.
1.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
2.What is many captive shippers' attitude towards the consolidation in the rail industry?
A.Indifferent. B.Supportive. C.Indignant. D.Apprehensive.
3.It can be inferred from Para. 3 that_______.
A.shippers will be charged less without a rival railroad
B.there will soon be only one railroad company nationwide
C.overcharged shippers are unlikely to appeal for rate relief
D.a government board ensures fair play in railway business
4.The word "arbiters" (Line 6, Para. 4) most probably refers to those_______.
A.who work as coordinators B.who function as judges
C.who supervise transactions D.who determine the price
5.According to the passage, the cost increase in the rail industry is mainly caused by_______.
A.the continuing acquisition B.the growing traffic
C.the cheering Wall Street D.the shrinking market
長難例句分析
［長難例句］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.
［結構分析］本句為虛擬語氣，主干是shippers would do so。If railroads charged all customers the same average rate為條件狀語從句，they argue為插入語，who引導的who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation是定語從句，修飾shippers，現(xiàn)在分詞結構leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line作結果狀語。
［參考譯文］如果鐵路對所有客戶都平均收費，那些可以選擇卡車或其他運輸方式的客戶就會選擇這些方式。如此一來，剩余的客戶就要承擔保持運轉的費用。
全文參考譯文
近年來，各個鐵路公司都一直在進行合并而成為超級系統(tǒng)，這引起了人們對壟斷的日益關注。1995年四條最大的鐵路運輸量不到總噸/英里數(shù)的70％。明年，經(jīng)過一系列的合并之后，這四條鐵路的運輸量將遠遠超過各大鐵路貨運總量的90％。
支持新超級鐵路的人們認為，這些合并有助于大幅降低費用，更好地協(xié)調貨運服務。他們認為，任何來自壟斷的威脅都可以通過來自汽車運輸?shù)募ち腋偁庍M行消除。然而，許多托運人卻抱怨說，對于遠途大宗貨物如煤、化肥和糧食等貨物而言，汽車貨運的運費太昂貴，因此鐵路公司“扼住他們的咽喉”。
鐵路業(yè)大規(guī)模的合并意味著為托運人服務的鐵路公司僅此一家。這樣，在沒有競爭對手時，鐵路一般向“受制”的托運人多收20％～30％的費用。那些覺得運費過高的人有權向聯(lián)邦政府地面運輸委員會投訴，要求給予運費補貼。然而，這個過程既耗時又費錢，而且只有在極端的情況下才有效。
從長遠來看，費率的差別降低了各個客戶的成本，所以鐵路方面認為鐵路方收費差別是合理的。如果鐵路對所有客戶都平均收費，那些可以選擇卡車或其他運輸方式的客戶就會去選擇這些方式。如此一來，剩余的客戶就要承擔保持鐵路運轉的費用。對于這一理論，許多經(jīng)濟學家都贊成。但是，實際上常常使鐵路處于這樣一種地位，即決定哪些公司該繼續(xù)發(fā)展而哪些公司該倒閉。經(jīng)常作為托運方代理人的華盛頓律師Martin Bercovici問道：“難道我們真的要讓鐵路成為市場上誰興誰衰的仲裁人嗎？”
許多受控制的托運人也擔心遭受費用大幅度增加的打擊。就整個鐵路業(yè)來說，盡管財源大有希望，其收入仍然不足以支付為維持日益增加的運量而投入的資本。然而，由于有華爾街為其鼓氣，鐵路方面仍在借貸資金以相互兼并。今年Norfolk Southern公司和CSX公司出資10.2億美元購得聯(lián)合鐵路公司。1996年聯(lián)合鐵路公司的鐵路純收入僅為4.27億美元，還不到運輸成本的一半。那么這筆賬的另一半由誰來支付呢？許多受制的托運人擔心，由于Norfolk Southern公司和CSX公司加強對市場的掌控，托運人將承擔余下的費用。
題目答案與解析
1.按照那些支持合并者的觀點，鐵路壟斷不可能發(fā)生的原因是_________。
A.成本的降低以競爭為基礎 B.服務需要跨行業(yè)的協(xié)調
C.來自外面的競爭者將繼續(xù)存在 D.托運人將控制鐵路運輸
【答案】C
【解析】本題可參照文章的第二段。從中可知，支持新超級鐵路的人們認為，這些合并有助于大幅降低運費，并更好地協(xié)調貨運服務；他們認為，任何來自壟斷的威脅都可以通過來自汽車運輸?shù)募ち腋偁幎?。?jù)此可知，支持鐵路合并的人認為來自于外面的激烈競爭會消除壟斷的局面。C項與文意相符，因此為正確答案。
2.對鐵路部門合并這件事，很多受控制的托運人的態(tài)度是什么？
A.漠不關心?！ .支持?！ .憤怒?！ .擔心。
【答案】D
【解析】本題可參照文章的第三段。從中可知，在沒有競爭對手時鐵路一般向這樣的“受制的”托運人多收20％～30％的費用；從文章第五段的內容可知，許多受制的托運人也擔心將受到費用大幅度增加的打擊；就整個鐵路行業(yè)來說，其收入仍不足以支付為維持日益增加的運量而投入的資金；而且，鐵路公司仍在借貸資金以相互兼并；今年，Norfolk Southern公司和CSX投入了10.2億美元兼并了聯(lián)合鐵路公司；許多受制的托運人擔心，隨著Norfolk Southern公司和CSX對市場的控制力加強，托運人將承擔余下的費用。據(jù)此可知，受控制的托運人擔心鐵路部門的合并。D項為正確答案。
3.從第三段可以推知，______。
A.如果沒有競爭對手，鐵路公司向托運者索取的費用將少一些
B.不久，全國將只剩下一家鐵路公司
C.被索價過多的托運人不可能上訴減少費率
D.政府部門保證在鐵路經(jīng)營中實行公平競爭
【答案】C
【解析】本題可參照文章的第三段。從中可知，鐵路業(yè)規(guī)?？涨暗暮喜⒁馕吨?，大多數(shù)托運人將由唯一的一家鐵路公司提供服務；鐵路公司向這樣“受制的”托運人收取的費用比有別的鐵路公司競爭時多20％～30％；那些覺得被索價過高的托運人有權向聯(lián)邦政府的水陸運輸委員會投訴，要求降低費率，但是這種過程既費錢也費時間，只有在極端情況下才有效。據(jù)此可知，托運人上訴的可能性不大。C項與文章的意思相符，因此為正確答案。
4.單詞arbiters（第四段第六行）最可能意指那些_________。
A.像協(xié)調員一樣的工作者 B.行使法官職能者
C.監(jiān)督交易者 D.決定價格者
【答案】B
【解析】本題可參照文章的第四段。從中可知，這是一種許多經(jīng)濟學家都贊成的理論，但實際上，這使得鐵路公司可以決定哪些公司會興旺，哪些公司會倒閉；經(jīng)常為托運人作代理的華盛頓律師問道：“難道我們真的要讓鐵路公司成為決定市場上誰興誰衰的仲裁人嗎？”據(jù)此可知，arbiters的意思應該是“裁決者”。B項的“行使法官職能者”與文章的意思相符，因此為正確答案。
5.依照本文的觀點，鐵路業(yè)的成本增加主要是由_________引起的。
A.持續(xù)的合并 B.日益繁忙的運輸
C.令人鼓舞的華爾街股市 D.萎縮的市場
【答案】A
【解析】本題可參照文章的最后一段。從中可知，許多受制的托運人也擔心將受到又一輪費用大幅度增加的打擊；就整個鐵路行業(yè)來說，盡管出現(xiàn)好的轉機，但其收入仍不足以支付它必須用于維持日益增加的運輸而投入的資金；而且，鐵路公司仍在借貸數(shù)十億的資金以相互兼并，華爾街則在旁邊為他們鼓氣；接著舉例說：Norfolk Southern公司和CSX投入了10.2億美元兼并了聯(lián)合鐵路公司，聯(lián)合鐵路公司在1996年的凈運營收入只有4.27億美元，不到交易的運輸成本的一半，那么，誰來支付余下的費用呢？許多受制的托運人擔心，隨著Norfolk Southern公司和CSX公司對市場的控制力加強，托運人將承擔余下的費用。據(jù)此可知，鐵路部門成本增加的主要原因是進一步的合并。A項的“持續(xù)的合并”與文章意思相符，因此為正確答案。
