王晓春:3月29日A类阅读题型简评

该场阅读考试主要出现了四种题型，即T/F/NG判断题，配对题，选择题，简答题。List of Headings题型再次“缺席”，而占今年前两个月总题量1/5强的Summary题型也没有出现。需要提醒的是，List of Headings题型虽然在今年的考试中多次缺席，但由于该题型所考查的阅读技能的重要性及测试形式的不可替代性，可以预期它将一直会在雅思阅读中占有重要的一席之地，不能排除它在后几场考试中出题频率提高的可能性。另外值得注意的是，选择题（包括单选和多选）的出题频率进一步提高。特别强调一点，在做多选题时，一定要明确所选的答案选项是填在答题纸上的一个空格内算作一题，还是填在答题纸上的多个空格内算作多题。如果出错将导致后面的答案全部错位。配对题仍然保持较高的出题量，并且出现了两种类型：人名/观点配对和归类型配对。

08年的阅读考试到目前为止，尚未考到的题型只有图表题中的两种类型：统计表（Table）和流程图（Flow Chart）。考生在复习备考的时候，应坚持在全面提高的基础上突出重点，不能完全忽略任何一种题型，要做好冷门题型突然“造访”的准备。

以下是几段与该场考试第一篇阅读文章（New Transportation）在内容和结构上都比较相似的文字。实际考试中出现的是不同的transportation和其优点进行配对的题目。大家可以利用以下的文字练习通过scanning找出各种transportation的不同优点。这一练习与真实考试的难度应是非常接近的。

There are three major urban transportation concepts that are being investigated around the world today. One is called Personal Rapid Transit (PRT), a second is called Group Rapid Transit (GRT) and the third is called Dualmode Transportation (DT). The PRT concept calls for small automated vehicles that are operated on elevated, exclusive guideways. A large number of stations would be provided so that patrons could access the system with a short walk and then have a non-stop, stressless and view-rich ride to the station nearest their desired destination. The PRT system would be available all of the time, would be electrically-powered and essentially pollution and noise free. The vehicles would be captive to the system and owned by the system operator, which could be a public agency, a private company or some mix of the two. The service provided would approximate that of a private auto in terms of travel time and surpass it in terms of safety, reduced stress and adverse environmental impacts. It is a good candidate for the "auto-competitive transit" label.

Group rapid transit(GRT)is a term that refers to a system very much like PRT, except that the vehicles are larger as are the guideways and stations. Some have off-line stations which makes non-stop service possible but some do not, requiring a stop at each station. GRT systems are likely to be more expensive than PRT systems because of larger vehicles, guideways and stations but may provide more capacity, in some applications. A GRT system has been successfully operated at West Virginia University in Morgantown for more than 25 years.

Dualmode transportation is a term that describes a transportation system whose vehicles can be operated on both the conventional street system and on an exclusive, automated guideway under computer control. Clearly, such a system can provide door-to-door service which neither PRT nor GRT systems can do. Otherwise, the DM is similar to the other two concepts in most respects. But, far fewer miles of elevated guideway are needed for a dualmode system and a much smaller number of stations would be required as well. Travel on the automated part of the system would be hands-off, view-rich and probably somewhat faster that a comparable PRT or GRT system.

Let’s be very clear about one point. None of these systems, if implemented, could be expected to replace the auto and leave the conventional roadway system empty and unused. But, depending on how intelligently they are implemented, they offer a significant potential for reducing auto dependence for travelers within our cities. Moreover, none would require the huge costs that have been experienced in tearing up and tunneling under our cities to build conventional rail and bus systems. In fact, dualmode systems offer the possibility of significantly lower costs as privately-owned dualmode autos would be common instead of all PRT and GRT vehicles having to be purchased and operated by some public or private agency.