单选题 The people who answer the phone get an endless stream of calls from people who are extremely upset that their electricity got turned off just because they failed to pay their bill for 297 months, or people asking questions like "Is it OK to operate an electric appliance while taking a bath?"
So let's say that you have a genuine problem with your electric bill. The people in "Customer Service" have no way of knowing that you're an intelligent, rational person. They're going to lump you in with the usual not-so-bright public. As far as they're concerned, the relevant facts, in any dispute between you and them, are these:
1. They have a bunch of electricity.
2. You need it.
3. So shut up.
This is why, more and more, the people in "Customer Service" won't even talk to you. They prefer to let you talk to the convenient Automatic Phone Answering System until such a time as you die of old age "... If your FIRST name has more than eight letters, and your LAST name begins with 'H' through 'L' press 251 NOW. If your first name has LESS than eight letters, and your last name contains at least two 'E' s, press 252 NOW. If your..."
So is there any way that you, the lowly consumer, can gain the serious attention of a large and powerful business? I am pleased to report that there IS a way, which I found out about thanks to an alert reader who sent me a news report from Russia. According to this report, a Russian electric company got into a dispute with a customer and cut off the customer's electricity. This customer, however, happened to be a unit of the Russian Army. So the commander ordered a tank to drive over to the electric company's office and aim its gun at the windows. The electricity was turned right back on.
On behalf of consumers everywhere, I want to kiss this military commander on the lips. I mean, what a GREAT concept. Imagine, as a consumer, how much more seriously your complaint would he taken if you were complaining from inside a vehicle capable of reducing the entire "Customer Service" department to tiny smoking pieces. What I am saying is: Forget the Automated Phone Answering System. Get a tank.
Perhaps you are thinking: "But a tank costs several million dollars, not including floor mats. I don't have that kind of money."
Don't be silly. You're a consumer, right? You have credit cards, right?
Perhaps you are thinking: "Yes, but how am I going to pay the credit-card company?"
Don't be silly. You have a tank, right?

单选题 From the first paragraph we may infer that ______.
A. the people who answer the phone are really very busy
B. some people don't know how to turn off electricity
C. some people don't know how to operate an electric appliance
D. some people are ignorant of their ridiculous behavior
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】本题是推论题,参见文章第1段举的两个例子。有人说他们才297个月没交电费就把他们的电断了;有人问“可以一边洗澡一边使用某种家用电器吗?”。第1种抱怨毫无道理,第2句问话纯属笑话:洗澡设施本来就是家用电器。故正确答案为D。
单选题 According to the passage, the people in "Customer Service" are very ______.
A. ignorant B. polite C. arbitrary D. foolish
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】本题是推论题,参见文章第2段。这几句话的大意是:就他们而言,在你与他们之间的任何争议中,相关的事实只有下列几条:1)他们有供电网。2)你需要电。3)所以闭嘴。由此可见,“顾客服务部”的人非常专横,故正确答案为C。
单选题 If Mr. Huntington Sweet wants to inquire about something from "Customer Service", he should press ______.
A. 251 B. 252 C. either D. both
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】本题是推论题,参见文章第3段引号中的几句话,这几句话的大意是:“……如果您的名字超过八位字母,并且您的姓氏是以从‘H’到‘L’之间的字母开头的,现在请拨251。如果您的名字不超过8位字母,并且您的姓氏至少包含两个‘E’,现在请拨252……”,Huntington Sweet先生的姓名两种情况都包括在内,所以需要拨251和252两个号。
单选题 How did the customer settle the dispute with Russian electric company?
A. By peaceful negotiation. B. By using a tank.
C. By resorting to forces. D. By appealing to the Russian Army.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】本题是细节题,参见文章第4段末。这段话的大意是:一家俄罗斯电力公司与某位顾客发生了纠纷,然后断了那位顾客的电。而这位顾客恰恰是俄罗斯军方下属的某个部队。于是指挥官命令将一辆坦克开到电力公司办公室,将炮口瞄准其窗户。供电立刻就恢复了。
单选题 The tone of this passage may be considered as ______.
A. humorous B. serious C. fantastic D. ridiculous
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】本题是推论题,通过文章中的一些夸张数字、例子以及最后结尾部分的调侃口气,可判断文章用的是一种轻松、幽默的笔调。