单选题
U.S. airlines could slash 70,000 more jobs if there were war with Iraq and the U.S. government did not give the industry, more help, the biggest domestic carriers said on Tuesday. The Air Transport Association, which represents major airlines, said in a report on airline finances that its members would take aggressive steps to counter any sharp drop in travel demand and an increase in costs caused by an Iraqi war. Big airlines are seeking government assistance to stem rising fuel costs and ease taxes that are contributing to losses that soared to more than $10 billion in 2002. The industry outlined a "most likely" scenario if war broke out, saying that reduced demand and higher costs due to a conflict lasting 90 days would cost it $4 billion in lost revenue. Without a conflict, losses would still be expected to reach almost $7 billion for the year. "The nation's air carders will continue to do all we can, but we fear that the consequences of this war will be severe," James May, president and chief executive of the air transport group, told a news conference. May restated the industry's belief that war could prompt more bankruptcies or force some financially fragile carders into liquidation. Recovery would take several years and ticket prices would have to fall further to spur demand. US Airways Group Inc. and UAL Corp's United Airlines are in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and some industry experts believe that AMR Corp's American Airlines, the world's biggest carrier could follow later this year. Airlines expect overall traffic volume during a second Gulf conflict would fall more sharply than it did during the 1991 war, when it declined 8 percent after fighting began. The airlines based their assessment on a slide of more than 20 percent in advance bookings for overseas travel after the U. S. government elevated its domestic terror alert status from yellow to orange in early February. Jet fuel has more than doubled in price from a year ago to, $1.30 a gallon recently. Fuel is the second-largest expense after labor for an airline. An increase of one penny a gallon costs the industry an estimated $180 million annually.
单选题
U.S. airlines would have to suffer the following losses if there were war with Iraq except that ______. A. the industry would have to lose $180 million revenue each year with one gallon of jet fuel increasing one penny on sale B. the overall traffic volume is expected to drop at least over eight percent, which took place during the first gulf war C. the U. S. government refuses to give the main airline companies any essential financial sup- port once the war broke out D. it would take a few years to get the prewar ticket prices resumed and then to spur the passengers' riving demand
单选题
The countermeasures the nation's main air carriers would take to prevent any sharp drop in travel demand may include ______. Ⅰ. seeking government financial assistance Ⅱ. asking for low tax rate Ⅲ. promoting more bankruptcies and forcing some weak airline companies into liquidation A. Ⅰ only B. Ⅰ and Ⅱ C. Ⅰ and Ⅲ D. Ⅱ and Ⅲ
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】文中第三段讲述了国内主要航空公司应对低迷消费需求的策略：Big airlines are seeking government assistance to stem rising fuel costs and ease taxes。题干中的“导致更多破产”是战争的结果，而不是航空公司的策略。
单选题
The sentence "... AMR, Corp's American Airlines, the world's biggest carder, could follow later this year" ( Paragraph 7) can best be restated as ______. A. it would also seek bankruptcy protection B. it would have to spur its passengers' demand for tickets C. it would have to take aggressive steps to avoid bankruptcy D. it would call for more financial subsidy from the government for its survival
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】第七段前半部分讲到US Airways Group和UAL Corp's United Airlines均在bankruptcy protection范围内，紧接着又说专家认为AMR，也会跟随着这么做，很显然意思是"AMR也会寻求bankruptcy protection'’，选项A正确。
单选题
The phrase "force some financially fragile carries into liquidation" (Paragraph 6 ) may probably mean ______. A. compel them to reduce their flight B. make them do nothing but to declare bankruptcy C. push them to be destroyed D. bring them into a liquid state
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】第六段说战争可能会prompt more bankruptcies or force some financially fragile carders into liquidation，or连接的两个句子互为解释，具有相同意义，都是指“使破产”，选项B正确。liquidation倒闭，破产。
单选题
From the passage we can conclude that ______ A. the writer intends to show his strong anti-war position B. the writer tells what the American air transportation industry would have to worry about in facing the war against Iraq C. the writer shows deep sympathy for the sufferings the war would bring to Iraqi people D. the writer wants to show indignation against George Bush' s position on Iraqi problem