Question

A Samoan airline says that it is the world’s first carrier to charge passengers by their weight. Samoa Air, which opened in 2012, asks passengers to give their personal weight during booking, which is then charged according to the length of a flight. The customers will also be weighed just before they board the plane.

"It is believed that all people throughout the world are the same size," Samoa Air CEO Chris Langton said. "Airplanes always run on weight, not seats."

"There is no doubt in my mind that this is the concept of the future. This is the fairest way of your travelling with your family or yourself."

Though the airline introduced the plan last November, it caught people's attention last week when the carrier began international flights to neighboring American Samoa.

Almost at the same time, a Norwegian economist, Bharat Bhatta, published a report suggesting that airlines should charge obese passengers more.

The Pacific Islands contain some of the world’s most common countries for obesity, many ranking in the top 10, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Samoa is ranked number four, with 59.6 percent of the population considered obese, said the most recent WHO report.

According to Samoa Air's latest schedule, the airline charges up to $0.57 per kg for flights in Samoa and $1.03 per kg for its only international flight to American Samoa, around 250 miles.

Children under 12 are charged 75 percent of the adult rate, with fares also based on weight. Any overweight baggage is calculated at the same rate as the passenger's personal weight.

The plan could actually prove cheaper in some cases, such as for families travelling with small children, and Langton said customer reaction has mainly been "amazingly positive".

The idea of charging passengers by weight has been hotly discussed before, and in the US some airlines require those who do not fit into a seat comfortably to buy a second seat.

1.What does the underlined word "this" in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A. Airlines should charge passengers by flight length.

B. All people throughout the world are the same size.

C. It is unfair to weigh passengers at the airport.

D. Airplanes always run on weight, not seats.

2.In Bharat Bhatta’s eyes, Samoa Air's plan might be _______.

A. funny    B. acceptable

C. strange    D. disappointing

3.A 100 kg adult flying to American Samoa would be charged _______.

A. $57    B. $75

C. $103    D. $125

4.What does the text mainly tell us?

A. 59.6% of Samoans are considered obese.

B. Samoa Air introduces pay-by-weight pricing.

C. Airlines should charge obese passengers more.

D. Baggage must be calculated as passengers’ weight.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.B

【解析】文章主要讲述了Samoa航空公司引进按重量收费的定价及一些人对此的观点。

1.D

猜测词义题。根据上句"Airplanes always run on weight, not seats."可知此处这种观念指的是航空公司按重量收费而不是座位的观念，故选D.

2.B

推理判断题。根据第五段a Norwegian economist, Bharat Bhatta, published a report suggesting that airlines should charge obese passengers more.可知Bharat Bhatta支持按重量收费，所以他认为这种做法可以接受，故选B.

3.C

推理判断题。根据第七段According to Samoa Air's latest schedule, the airline charges up to $1.03 per kg for its only international flight to American Samoa, around 250 miles.可知飞往American Samoa按每公斤$1.03收费，所以100 kg的成年人收费应该是1.03×100＝103，故选C.

4.B

推理判断题。根据开头A Samoan airline says that it is the world’s first carrier to charge passengers by their weight.以及下文的详细介绍可知本文主要讲的是Samoa航空公司引进按重量收费的定价，故选B.

【名师点睛】

数字计算题

数字计算题也是高考中常考的内容，此类试题有的是在文章中直接表现出来细节事实，有的要经过具体的计算才能够得出正确的答案。具体的计算题可以是对年代的计算、月份的计算或比例的计算等。文章中经常会出现许多数字，它们对解题产生一定的影响。解答此类试题的方法是先来理解文章的大意，然后经过对比、分析、计算等就能够得出正确的答案。小题3要求计算一个100 公斤的成年人飞往 American Samoa的费用是多少，根据第七段According to Samoa Air's latest schedule, the airline charges up to $1.03 per kg for its only international flight to American Samoa, around 250 miles.可知飞往American Samoa按每公斤$1.03收费，所以100 kg的成年人收费应该是1.03×100＝103，所以收费$103.