Question

Climbers at the top of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, will now be able to make video calls and surf the Internet on their mobile phones, a Nepalese (尼泊尔的) telecom group claims.

Ncell, a branch company of Swedish phone giant TeliaSonera, said on Thursday it had set up a high-speed third-generation (3G) phone base station at an altitude of 5,200 metres in the Everest region.

“Today we made the world’s highest video call from Mount Everest base camp successfully. The coverage (覆盖范围) of the network will reach up to the peak of Mount Everest,” Ncell Nepal chief Pasi Koistinen told reporters in Kathmandu.

The installation (安装) will also help tens of thousands of tourists and hikers who visit the world’s highest mountain every year.

Climbers who reached its 8,848-metre peak previously depended on expensive satellite phones and a voice-only network set up by China Mobile in 2007 on the Chinese side of the mountain.

“This is a great milestone for mobile communications as the 3G high speed Internet will bring faster, more affordable telecommunication services from the world’s tallest mountain,” said Lars Nyberg, chief executive of TeliaSonera, which owns 80 percent of Ncell.

The 3G services will be fast enough to make video calls and use the Internet, said the company, which also claimed the world’s lowest 3G base at 1,400 metres below sea level in a mine in Europe.

Despite the installation in Mount Everest, telecom services cover less than one-third of the 28 million people of Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world.

TeliaSonera said it planned to invest $ 100 million in the next year to ensure that mobile coverage increases to more than 90 per cent of the Himalayan nation’s population.

The 3G network on Mount Everest puts TeliaSonera ahead of state-controlled Nepal Telecom, Indian-owned United Telecom and China Mobile.

Around 3,000 people have climbed to the Everest summit since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people to conquer the peak in 1953.

1.Who are most likely to benefit from the 3G services at Mount Everest?

A. The telecom firm.          B. The local residents.

C. Travelers to Nepal.                  D. Mount Everest explorers.

2.According to Lars Nyberg, the 3G services they provide __________.

A. are fast and convenient             B. are a little expensive

C. can make voice-only calls      D. offer free emailing

3.What do we know about TeliaSonera?

A. 80 percent of it is owned by Ncell

B. It belongs to Nepal Telecom.

C. It is in the charge of Pasi Koistinen

D. It provides services for Pasi Koistinen.

4.What is the best title of the text?

A. Telecommunication in Nepal

B. 3G services reach Mt. Everest summit

C. TeliaSonera takes lead in communication

D. Good news for hikers and climbers

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了瑞典手机巨头TeliaSonera的分公司Ncell它们已经在海拔5200米以上的建立了3G的服务，这对于等珠穆朗玛峰的人来说是一件好事，这项服务既快捷又方便。

1.推理判断题。根据set up a high-speed third-generation (3G) phone base station at an altitude of 5,200 metres in the Everest region因为在海拔5200米以上有3G手机的信号，当然对登山的人有好处，他们能受益，故选D。

2.细节理解题。根据This is a great milestone for mobile communications as the 3G high speed Internet will bring faster, more affordable telecommunication services from the world’s tallest mountain可知 3G是非常快的和方便的，故选A。

3.细节理解题。根据Ncell, a branch company of Swedish phone giant TeliaSonera, 及Ncell Nepal chief Pasi Koistinen 可知Pasi Koistinen 负责TeliaSonera 公司，故选C。

4.标题归纳题。纵观全文主要叙述了在海拔很高的珠穆朗玛峰可以收到了3G的服务信号，故选B。

考点：日常生活类短文阅读。