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1、考研英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析(17)英语真题阅读理解试题及名师解析（17） Inrecentyears,railroadshavebeencombiningwitheachother,mergingintosupersystems,causingheightenedconcernsaboutmonopoly.Asrecentlyas1995,thetopfourrailroadsaccountedforunder70percentofthetotalton-milesmovedbyrails.Nextyear
2、,afteraseriesofmergersiscompleted,justfourrailroadswillcontrolwellover90percentofallthefreightmovedbymajorrailcarriers. Supportersofthenewsupersystemsarguethatthesemergerswillallowforsubstantialcostreductionsandbettercoordinatedservice.Anythreatofmonopoly,they
3、argue,isremovedbyfiercecompetitionfromtrucks.Butmanyshipperscomplainthatforheavybulkcommoditiestravelinglongdistances,suchascoal,chemicals,andgrain,truckingistoocostlyandtherailroadsthereforehavethembythethroat. Thevastconsolidationwithintherailindustrymeansth
4、atmostshippersareservedbyonlyonerailcompany.Railroadstypicallychargesuch“captive”shippers20to30percentmorethantheydowhenanotherrailroadiscompetingforthebusiness.Shipperswhofeeltheyarebeingoverchargedhavetherighttoappealtothefederalgovernment'sSurfaceTransportat
5、ionBoardforraterelief,buttheprocessisexpensive,timeconsuming,andwillworkonlyintrulyextremecases. Railroadsjustifyratediscriminationagainstcaptiveshippersonthegroundsthatinthelongrunitreduceseveryone'scost.Ifrailroadschargedallcustomersthesameaveragerate,theyar
6、gue,shipperswhohavetheoptionofswitchingtotrucksorotherformsoftransportationwoulddoso,leavingremainingcustomerstoshoulderthecostofkeepinguptheline.It'satheorytowhichmanyeconomistssubscribe,butinpracticeitoftenleavesrailroadsinthepositionofdeterminingwhichcompani
7、eswillflourishandwhichwillfail.“Dowereallywantrailroadstobethearbitersofwhowinsandwholosesinthemarketplace?”asksMartinBercovici,aWashingtonlawyerwhofrequentlyrepresentsshippers. Manycaptiveshippersalsoworrytheywillsoonbehitwitharoundofhugerateincreases.Therail
8、roadindustryasawhole,despiteitsbrighteningfortunes,stilldoesnotearnenoughtocoverthecostofthecapitalitmustinvesttokeepupwithitssurgingtraffic.Yetrailroadscontinuetoborrowbill
