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
长难例句分析
［长难例句］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.
［结构分析］本句为虚拟语气，主干是shippers would do so。If railroads charged all customers the same average rate为条件状语从句，they argue为插入语，who引导的who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation是定语从句，修饰shippers，现在分词结构leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line作结果状语。
［参考译文］如果铁路对所有客户都平均收费，那些可以选择卡车或其他运输方式的客户就会选择这些方式。如此一来，剩余的客户就要承担保持运转的费用。
全文参考译文
近年来，各个铁路公司都一直在进行合并而成为超级系统，这引起了人们对垄断的日益关注。1995年四条最大的铁路运输量不到总吨/英里数的70％。明年，经过一系列的合并之后，这四条铁路的运输量将远远超过各大铁路货运总量的90％。
支持新超级铁路的人们认为，这些合并有助于大幅降低费用，更好地协调货运服务。他们认为，任何来自垄断的威胁都可以通过来自汽车运输的激烈竞争进行消除。然而，许多托运人却抱怨说，对于远途大宗货物如煤、化肥和粮食等货物而言，汽车货运的运费太昂贵，因此铁路公司“扼住他们的咽喉”。
铁路业大规模的合并意味着为托运人服务的铁路公司仅此一家。这样，在没有竞争对手时，铁路一般向“受制”的托运人多收20％～30％的费用。那些觉得运费过高的人有权向联邦政府地面运输委员会投诉，要求给予运费补贴。然而，这个过程既耗时又费钱，而且只有在极端的情况下才有效。
从长远来看，费率的差别降低了各个客户的成本，所以铁路方面认为铁路方收费差别是合理的。如果铁路对所有客户都平均收费，那些可以选择卡车或其他运输方式的客户就会去选择这些方式。如此一来，剩余的客户就要承担保持铁路运转的费用。对于这一理论，许多经济学家都赞成。但是，实际上常常使铁路处于这样一种地位，即决定哪些公司该继续发展而哪些公司该倒闭。经常作为托运方代理人的华盛顿律师Martin Bercovici问道：“难道我们真的要让铁路成为市场上谁兴谁衰的仲裁人吗？”
许多受控制的托运人也担心遭受费用大幅度增加的打击。就整个铁路业来说，尽管财源大有希望，其收入仍然不足以支付为维持日益增加的运量而投入的资本。然而，由于有华尔街为其鼓气，铁路方面仍在借贷资金以相互兼并。今年Norfolk Southern公司和CSX公司出资10.2亿美元购得联合铁路公司。1996年联合铁路公司的铁路纯收入仅为4.27亿美元，还不到运输成本的一半。那么这笔账的另一半由谁来支付呢？许多受制的托运人担心，由于Norfolk Southern公司和CSX公司加强对市场的掌控，托运人将承担余下的费用。
题目答案与解析
1.按照那些支持合并者的观点，铁路垄断不可能发生的原因是_________。
A.成本的降低以竞争为基础 B.服务需要跨行业的协调
C.来自外面的竞争者将继续存在 D.托运人将控制铁路运输
【答案】C
【解析】本题可参照文章的第二段。从中可知，支持新超级铁路的人们认为，这些合并有助于大幅降低运费，并更好地协调货运服务；他们认为，任何来自垄断的威胁都可以通过来自汽车运输的激烈竞争而消除。据此可知，支持铁路合并的人认为来自于外面的激烈竞争会消除垄断的局面。C项与文意相符，因此为正确答案。
2.对铁路部门合并这件事，很多受控制的托运人的态度是什么？
A.漠不关心。 B.支持。 C.愤怒。 D.担心。
【答案】D
【解析】本题可参照文章的第三段。从中可知，在没有竞争对手时铁路一般向这样的“受制的”托运人多收20％～30％的费用；从文章第五段的内容可知，许多受制的托运人也担心将受到费用大幅度增加的打击；就整个铁路行业来说，其收入仍不足以支付为维持日益增加的运量而投入的资金；而且，铁路公司仍在借贷资金以相互兼并；今年，Norfolk Southern公司和CSX投入了10.2亿美元兼并了联合铁路公司；许多受制的托运人担心，随着Norfolk Southern公司和CSX对市场的控制力加强，托运人将承担余下的费用。据此可知，受控制的托运人担心铁路部门的合并。D项为正确答案。
3.从第三段可以推知，______。
A.如果没有竞争对手，铁路公司向托运者索取的费用将少一些
B.不久，全国将只剩下一家铁路公司
C.被索价过多的托运人不可能上诉减少费率
D.政府部门保证在铁路经营中实行公平竞争
【答案】C
【解析】本题可参照文章的第三段。从中可知，铁路业规模空前的合并意味着，大多数托运人将由唯一的一家铁路公司提供服务；铁路公司向这样“受制的”托运人收取的费用比有别的铁路公司竞争时多20％～30％；那些觉得被索价过高的托运人有权向联邦政府的水陆运输委员会投诉，要求降低费率，但是这种过程既费钱也费时间，只有在极端情况下才有效。据此可知，托运人上诉的可能性不大。C项与文章的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
4.单词arbiters（第四段第六行）最可能意指那些_________。
A.像协调员一样的工作者 B.行使法官职能者
C.监督交易者 D.决定价格者
【答案】B
【解析】本题可参照文章的第四段。从中可知，这是一种许多经济学家都赞成的理论，但实际上，这使得铁路公司可以决定哪些公司会兴旺，哪些公司会倒闭；经常为托运人作代理的华盛顿律师问道：“难道我们真的要让铁路公司成为决定市场上谁兴谁衰的仲裁人吗？”据此可知，arbiters的意思应该是“裁决者”。B项的“行使法官职能者”与文章的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
5.依照本文的观点，铁路业的成本增加主要是由_________引起的。
A.持续的合并 B.日益繁忙的运输
C.令人鼓舞的华尔街股市 D.萎缩的市场
【答案】A
【解析】本题可参照文章的最后一段。从中可知，许多受制的托运人也担心将受到又一轮费用大幅度增加的打击；就整个铁路行业来说，尽管出现好的转机，但其收入仍不足以支付它必须用于维持日益增加的运输而投入的资金；而且，铁路公司仍在借贷数十亿的资金以相互兼并，华尔街则在旁边为他们鼓气；接着举例说：Norfolk Southern公司和CSX投入了10.2亿美元兼并了联合铁路公司，联合铁路公司在1996年的净运营收入只有4.27亿美元，不到交易的运输成本的一半，那么，谁来支付余下的费用呢？许多受制的托运人担心，随着Norfolk Southern公司和CSX公司对市场的控制力加强，托运人将承担余下的费用。据此可知，铁路部门成本增加的主要原因是进一步的合并。A项的“持续的合并”与文章意思相符，因此为正确答案。
