Read the following four texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing [A], [B], [C] or [D]. Mark your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. (40 points)
Text 1
First two hours, now three hours—this is how far in advance authorities are recommending people show up to catch a domestic flight, at least at some major U.S. airports with increasingly massive security lines.
Americans are willing to tolerate time-consuming security protocols in return for increased safety. The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804, which terrorists may have downed over the Mediterranean Sea, provides another tragic reminder of why. But demanding too much of air travelers or providing too little security in return undermines public support for the process. And it should: Wasted time is a drag on Americans’ economic and private lives, not to mention infuriating.
Last year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found in a secret check that undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons—both fake and real—past airport security nearly every time they tried. Enhanced security measures since then, combined with a rise in airline travel due to the improving economy and and low oil prices, have resulted in long waits at major airports such as Chicago’s O’Hare International. It is not yet clear how much more effective airline security has become—but the lines are obvious.
Part of the issue is that the government did not anticipate the steep increase in airline travel, so the TSA is now rushing to get new screeners on the line. Part of the issue is that airports have only so much room for screening lanes. Another factor may be that more people are trying to overpack their carry-on bags to avoid checked-baggage fees, though the airlines strongly dispute this.
There is one step the TSA could take that would not require remodeling airports or rushing to hire: Enroll more people in the PreCheck program. PreCheck is supposed to be a win-win for travelers and the TSA. Passengers who pass a background check are eligible to use expedited screening lanes. This allows the TSA to focus on travelers who are higher risks, saving time for everyone involved. TSA wants to enroll 25 million people in PreCheck.
It has not gotten anywhere close to that, and one big reason is sticker shock: Passengers must pay $85 every five years to process their background checks. Since the beginning, this price tag has been PreCheck’s fatal flaw. Upcoming reforms might bring the price to a more reasonable level. But Congress should look into doing so directly, by helping to finance PreCheck enrollment or to cut costs in other ways.
The TSA cannot continue diverting resources into underused PreCheck lanes while most of the traveling public suffers in unnecessary lines. It is long past time to make the program work.
21.The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804 is mentioned to
[A] stress the urgency to strengthen security worldwide.
[B] highlight the necessity of upgrading major US airports.
[C] explain Americans’ tolerance of current security checks.
[D] emphasize the importance of privacy protection.
22. Which of the following contributions to long waits at major airports?
[A] New restrictions on carry-on bags.
[B] The declining efficiency of the TSA.
[C] An increase in the number of travelers.
[D] Frequent unexpected secret checks.
23.The word “expedited” (Line 4, Para.5) is closest in meaning to .
[A] faster
[B] quieter
[C] wider
[D] cheaper
24. One problem with the PreCheck program is .
[A] a dramatic reduction of its scale
[B] its wrongly-directed implementation
[C] the government’s reluctance to back it
[D] an unreasonable price for enrollment
25. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
[A] Less Screening for More Safety
[B] PreCheck—A Belated Solution
[C] Getting Stuck in Security Lines
[D] Underused PreCheck Lanes
【試題及文章解析】
【文章大意】
本文選自2016年5月的《華盛頓郵報》（The Washington Post），原文標題為《快一點，等一等》（“Hurry up and wait”）。本文主要圍繞美國主要機場愈發冗長的安檢隊伍這一話題展開論述，文章分析了導致這一現象的原因、解決對策以及對策的利弊。
【篇章結構】
美國機場安檢排隊的問題
第一段：美國主要機場的安檢隊伍愈發冗長。
第二段：分析了人們愿意忍受耗時安檢的原因。
第三段：分析了安檢隊伍變長的原因：安保增強和航班增加。
第四段：分析了安檢隊伍變長的原因：安檢人手不足，機場空間有限和乘客過度打包隨身行李。
第五段：提出一個解決安檢隊伍冗長的對策——預檢項目。
第六段：分析預檢項目的弊端——價格不合理。
第七段：敦促預檢項目發揮效用。
【試題解析】
21.The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804 is mentioned to .
[A] stress the urgency to strengthen security worldwide
[B] highlight the necessity of upgrading major US airports
[C] explain Americans’ tolerance of current security checks
[D]emphasis the importance of privacy protection
21. 提及埃及航空公司804航班墜毀事件是為了 。
[A] 強調加強全球飛行安全的緊迫性
[B] 強調升級美國主要機場的必要性
[C] 解釋美國人對當前的安檢程序寬容的原因
[D] 強調保護隱私的重要性
[C] 細節題
【題干定位】根據題干中的 The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804 可定位至第二段第二句。
【解題思路】舉例的功能在于支持觀點，而觀點通常在舉例句的前一句。第二段第一句指出，美國人愿意忍受耗時的安檢程序以確保安全，緊接著下一句指出原因：埃及航空804號航班以悲劇的形式再次提醒（provides another tragic reminders）大家為什么要這么做（即愿意費時接受安檢）。據此可知，提及埃及航空公司804航班墜毀是為了解釋美國人愿意接受耗時的安檢程序的原因，故選[C]。
22. Which of the following contributions to long waits at major airport?
[A] New restrictions on carry-on bags.
[B] The declining efficiency of the TSA.
[C] An increase in the number of travelers.
[D] Frequent unexpected secret checks.
22. 以下哪一項導致了主要機場安檢排長隊的情況？
[A] 關于隨身攜帶行李的新規定。
[B] 美國運輸安全管理局效率不斷下降。
[C] 飛機乘客數量的增加。
[D] 頻繁的突擊秘密檢查。
[C] 細節題
【題干定位】由題干中的 long waits at major airports 可定位至第三段第二句。
【解題思路】根據第三段第二句內容可知，導致主要機場安檢隊伍變長的原因有兩個：enhanced security measures（強化的安檢措施）和 a rise in airline travel（航空旅行人數的增多），[C] 項 an increase in the number of travelers 為原文 a rise in airline travel 的同義替換。故選[C]。
23. The word “expedited” (Line 3, Para.5) is closest in meaning to .
[A] faster
[B] quieter
[C] wider
[D] cheaper
23. 第五段第三行的單詞“expedited”最有可能的意思是 。
[A] 更快的
[B] 更安靜的
[C] 更寬闊的
[D] 更便宜的
[A] 語義題
【題干定位】根據題干中的 Line 3, Para. 5 可定位至第五段第三句。
【解題思路】該句指出，那些需要進行背景調查的旅客可以用 expedited screening lanes。緊接著下一句用 this 指代前文，提到這一舉措可以使 TSA 關注那些高危的旅客，從而節省每個人的時間（saving time for everyone）。既然能節省時間，故 expedited screening lanes 應與安檢流程速度（加快）有關，[A] faster 能匹配此語義。故選[A]。
24. One problem with the PreCheck program is .
[A] a dramatic reduction of its scale
[B] its wrongly-directed implementation
[C] the government’s reluctance to back it
[D] an unreasonable price for enrollment
24. 預檢項目存在的一個問題是 。
[A] 規模大幅度削減
[B] 導向錯誤的實施
[C] 政府不愿對其提供支持
[D] 不合理的注冊費用
[D] 細節題
【題干定位】根據題干中的 Precheck Program 和 one problem(fatal flaw) 可定位至第六段。
【解題思路】第六段闡述了該項目的問題，其中第一句指出，預檢項目的一個大問題是sticker shock（價格標簽讓人震驚），之后解釋：乘客必須每五年支付85美元來進行背景審核（Passengers must pay $85 every five years to process their background checks），預檢項目的價格存在重大缺陷（this price tag has been PreCheck’s fatal flaw）。第三句還指出，接下來的改革可能會把價格調整到合理水平（Upcoming reforms might bring the price to a reasonable level），言外之意就是現在的價格“不合理”，綜上，Precheck Program 的問題就是價格不合理，故選[D]。
【排除】[A]和[B]項在原文未提及。[C] 項與原文信息不符，原文在本段最后一句提到政府應該直接參與到價格調整中去（But Congress should look into doing so directly…），本句并未體現出政府是否愿意或不愿意支持這個項目。
25. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
1. The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804, which terrorists may have downed over the Mediterranean Sea, provides another tragic reminder of why.
【句子分析】本句主干為 The crash of Egypt Air Flight 804... provides another tragic reminder of why，為主謂賓結構；which 引導非限制性定語從句，修飾 Egypt Air Flight 804。
【翻譯】疑因恐怖分子襲擊而墜入地中海的埃及航空804號航班以悲劇的形式再次提醒大家為什么要這么做。
2. Last year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found in a secret check that undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons—both fake and real—past airport security nearly every time they tried.
【句子分析】本句主干為 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found... that...；Last year 為時間狀語；in a secret check 做狀語，表范圍；that 引導賓語從句，從句主干為 undercover investigators were able to sneak weapons，both fake and real 為同位語，解釋說明 weapons，past 后面為狀語表伴隨，they tried 為定語從句。
3. Enhanced security measures since then, combined with a rise in airline travel due to the improving economy and low oil prices, have resulted in long waits at major airports such as
Chicago’s O’Hare International.
【句子分析】主干：Enhanced security measures... have resulted in long waits...；combined with... 為過去分詞短語作狀語，表伴隨，其中 due to 引導原因狀語；at major airports 為地點狀語；句末的 such as 為舉例部分。
