Question

A

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that 42% of Americans could be overweight by 2030. Our expanding bodies not only lead to a medical problem, but also endanger personal safety in some situations—in an airplane crash, for example, according to a recent article in The New York Times.

The New York Times’ Christine Negroni reports that engineers and scientists are questioning whether airplane seats are designed to protect overweight travelers. Government standards(标准) for airplane seat strength—first set more than 60 years ago---require that the seats be made for a passenger weighing 170 pounds. Today, the average American man weighs nearly 194 pounds and the average woman 165 pounds. Negroni reports:

“If a heavier person completely fills a seat, the seat is not likely to behave as designed during a crash,” Robert Salzar, the leading scientist at the Center for Applied Biomechanics at the University of Virginia. “The energy that is built into the aircraft seat is likely to be overpowered and the passengers will not be protected properly”.

“Nor would the injury be limited to that passenger only,” Dr. Salzar said. “If a seat or a seat belt fails,”he said, “those people who are seated nearby could not be safe from the uncontrolled movements of the passenger.”

Most complaints(投诉) about airplane seats focus on their lack of comfort and high ticket price, and whether overweight passengers should be made to buy two seats. But The New York Times’ article brings up another reason to feel anxious about flying. Investigators(调查者) got in touch with the airplane seat and seat belt makers, but they refused to talk about the problem. Experts agreed that crash testing should be done. Both airplane seats and seat belts should be tested, they said.

Fortunately, however, according to Nora Marshall, a senior adviser at the National Transportation Safety Board, the board’s investigators have never seen an accident involving a commercial plane in which the weight of a passenger was a problem.

1.What is the article in The New York Times mainly about?

A. The size of airplane seats and seat belts.

B. Safety of overweight airplane passengers.

C. Airplane crashes.

D. A medical problem caused by being overweight.

2. Robert Salzar would probably agree that_________.

A. overweight passengers should buy two seats

B. the government should help produce safer planes

C. standards for airplane seat strength should be raised

D. passengers should know how to protect themselves

3. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 5 refer to?

A. Experts.    

B. Passengers.

C. Investigators.   

D. The airplane seat makers.

4.We can learn from the text that_________.

A. airplane seat makers have taken action now

B. there are few complaints about airplane seats

C. those seated near the overweight may suffer , too

D. only a small number of airplane accidents result from the overweight

5. what is the best title for the text?

A. Why do passengers Feel Anxious about Flying?

B. Will 42% of Americans Be Overweight by 2030?

C. When Will the Overweight Enjoy Their Flight?

D. Are Airplane Seats Safe Enough for the Overweight?

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.A

4.C

5.D

【解析】

【语篇解读】随着肥胖者越来越多，人们开始质疑按照60年前标准生产的飞机座椅对于肥胖的乘客是否足够安全。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句可知，纽约时报的这篇文章是关于肥胖乘客坐飞机的安全问 题。故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据第二、三、四段中Robert Salzar的分析可知，他认为60年前设定的飞机座 椅标准已不适合现在的情况，原来的标准应该改进。故选C。

3.细节理解题。根据第五段中“Experts agreed that crash testing should be done.”可知，“they”指代前 一句中的专家。故选A。

4.推理判断题。根据第四段中“Nor would the injury be limited to that passenger only,”和“those people who are seated nearby could not be safe from the uncontrolled movements of the passenger.”可知，坐在肥胖 乘客旁边的乘客也不安全。故选C。

5.主旨大意题。根据第二段中“The New York Times’ Christine Negroni reports that engineers and scientists are questioning whether airplane seats are designed to protect overweight travelers.”可知，本文主要 讨论了人们质疑按照60年前标准生产的飞机座椅对于肥胖者是否安全。故选D。