111. The difficulty with the proposed high-speed train line is that a used plane can be bought for one-third the price of
the train line, and the plane, which is just as fast, can fly anywhere. The train would be a fixed linear system, and
we live in a world that is spreading out in all directions and in which consumers choose the free-wheel systems
(cars, buses, aircraft), which do not have fixed routes. Thus a sufficient market for the train will not exist.
Which of the following, if true, most severely weakens the argument presented above?
(A) Cars, buses, and planes require the efforts of drivers and pilots to guide them, whereas the train will be
guided mechanically.
(B) Cars and buses are not nearly as fast as the high-speed train will be.
(C) Planes are not a free-wheel system because they can fly only between airports, which are less convenient
for consumers than the high-speed train’s stations would be.
(D) The high-speed train line cannot use currently underutilized train stations in large cities.
(E) For long trips, most people prefer to fly rather than to take ground-level transportation.
Argument Evaluation
Situation A free-wheel system of transportation, the airplane, is as fast as a fi xed linear system, the
high-speed train. Because people prefer free-wheel systems that do not have fi xed routes,
the high-speed train will never fi nd a suffi cient market.
Reasoning What is the potential weakness in this argument? Th e passage argues that consumers will
choose to fl y rather than use the high-speed train. Th e argument is based upon a
consumer preference for free-wheel systems over fi xed linear systems. Th e defi nition of a
free-wheel system is one that does not have fi xed routes. Th e argument is weakened by any
challenge to the defi nition of fl ying as a free-wheel transportation system. It is true that
airplanes may be able to go almost anywhere, but commercial airlines do establish fi xed
routes and necessarily must travel to and from airports. Furthermore, if airports are less
conveniently located for consumers than are train terminals, consumers might well prefer
the more convenient of the two fi xed-route alternatives.
A Th e method of guidance is irrelevant to the argument about free-wheel versus fi xed linear
systems.
B Th e passage compares the speed and system models of airplanes and high-speed trains. Th e
argument does not incorporate buses and cars, which are included only to give examples of freewheel
systems, and so this statement is irrelevant.
C Correct. Th is statement properly identifi es the weakness in the argument: Airplanes are not truly
a free-wheel system because they are restricted to traveling between airports. Additionally,
airports tend to be less conveniently located than train terminals, which has further potential to
weaken the argument in favor of airplanes.
D Th e inability of high-speed trains to use some convenient train stations strengthens, rather than
weakens, the argument in favor of airplanes.
E Consumer preference for air travel over ground travel on long trips strengthens, rather than
weakens, the argument in favor of airplanes.
Th e correct answer is C.
我不懂明明题目里面已经说了“the free-wheel systems”包括“cars,buses,aircraft”，怎么正确选项中还说“planes are not a free-wheel system”呢？请指教~作者: tomchengs 时间: 2010-8-8 20:49
