单选题
People Express

People Express, founded in April 1981, grew rapidly on the basis of low fares and no-frills service. It soon became a leading airline and (19) changed the industry as firms constantly engaged in price wars to lure passengers. Then, People Express' bubble (20) because it over expanded, consumer complaints mounted and other airlines matched its fares on popular routes. In 1986, People Express (21) hundreds of millions of dollars and was forced to sell out to Texas Air, the owner of Continental and Eastern Airlines.
In early 1987, Texas Air (22) People Express into its Continental division and industry observers believed (23) the costly fare wars would be ended. They could not have been more wrong. To stimulate business for its (24) Continental Airlines, Texas Air instituted a new low fare category (25) MaxSaver. The fare offered prices that were up to 40 percent lower than "supersaver" rates offered (26) all airlines. For Example, the round-trip MaxSaver fare from New York to Houston was $79. The MaxSaver fares were immediately matched by all major airlines, (27) feared losing business.
While MaxSaver rates were low, they also had restrictions. Tickets could not be (28) or flight times modified after purchase. Passengers would have to stay over either a Saturday or Sunday. Reservations had to be made at least two days (29) , and there were limited seats available.
Three weeks after MaxSaver rates were (30) American Airlines announced plans to raise its discount fares and require 30-day (31) purchasing for its lowest fares. It felt it could not continue at the rates in effect feet. However, just 10 days (32) American Airlines had to revise its plan. Texas Air refused to abandon the MaxSaver fare; it even extended the program into the busy summer season. Competitors went along and the price war raged on, (33) an executive's comment that "nobody's cost structure can survive MaxSavers".

【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】本文第一行提到，“People Express…grew rapidly”，因此，从意义上讲，此处不能填入little和slowly，从语法上讲，只能填入副词，radical change意思是彻底的改变。因此，radically是正确答案。
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】从语法上来讲，应该使用过去时态，从词语的答案上看bubble burst是对的。同时这也是一个固定的说法，意为“泡沫破灭”。也可以说：The bubble was pricked，意思是说，原来看上去是一种很好的想法，实际上是行不通的。
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】从上下文来看应该填人表示损失的词语，因此lost是正确答案。
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】表示两个单位合并时，要使用merge。意思是合并、兼并等。
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】that引导宾语从句，它在句子中不充当任何成分。
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】从语法结构上讲，此处应该填写动词过去分词；expanded的意思是“膨胀的；扩大(张)的”。Extended的意思是“伸出的，延长的”。因此，expanded是正确答案。
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】从句法结构上讲，只能填入动词的过去分词，即called。
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】由by引出动作的执行者“all airlines”。
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】Which引导出非限定性定语从句。
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】从语法上讲，要用被动语态。put off(推迟)、destroy(破坏)均与句意不符，因此，cancelled是正确答案。
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】in advance是固定搭配，意思是“预先，提前”，ahead of后面需要跟宾语。
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】Introduce是“采用、推行”的意思；bring in生产，挣得；take in接受，接待，吸收，理解等；adapt使适应，改编。
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】Advanced是过去分词，作形容词使用，意思是“提前的、预先的”。从句子的意义上来说，这里需要用前置修饰语。Prior to(先于，在……以前)常做后置定语。
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】Later和lately都是副词，但意思不同，前者是“……以后”，后者是“最近，近来”。Late意思是“迟到，过世的”。Latter意思是“后者”。
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】从语法的结构上看，这里需要填入介词，despite就是介词，不需要连接of，in spite of是结构短语，固定搭配。