PASSAGE 7
& _$ U) m d) Z" uPeople Express 7 ]9 k' `5 K7 I; M B# C
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C) T3 m( T; Z People Express, founded in April 1981, grew rapidly on the basis of low fares and no-frills service. It soon became a leading airline and __1__ changed the industry as firms constantly engaged in price wars to lure passengers. Then, People Express’ bubble __2__ because it overexpanded, consumer complaints mounted and other airlines matched its fares on popular routes. In 1986, People Express __3__ hundreds of millions of dollars and was forced to sell out to Texas Air, the owner of Continental and Eastern Airlines. + K4 Q& F9 v$ p! z
In early 1987, Texas Air __4__ People Express into its Continental division and industry observers believed __5__ the costly fare wars would be ended. They could not have been more wrong. To stimulate business for its __6__ continental Airlines, Texas Air instituted a new low fare category __7__ MaxSaver. The fare offered prices that were up to 40 per cent lower than "supersaver" rates offered __8__ all airlines. For example, the round-trip MaxSaver fare from New York to Houston was $70. The MaxSaver fares were immediately matched by all major airlines, __9__ feared losing business. 2 y/ I. ]6 E& w
While MaxSaver rates were low, they also had restrictions. Tickets could not be __10__ or flight times modified after purchase. Passengers would have to stay over either a Saturday or Sunday. Reservations had to be made at least two days __11__, and there were limited seats available. ) h# V4 ~: v9 n$ B( ?: H. Y
Three weeks after MaxSaver rates were __12__, American Airlines announced plans to raise its discount fares and require 30-day __13__ purchasing for its lowest fares. It felt it could not continue at the rates in effect. However, just 10 days __14__, Ameriacn Airlines had to revise its plan. Texas Air refused to abandon the MaxSaver fare; it even extended the program into the busy summer season. Competitors went along and the price war raged on, __15__ an executive’s comment that "nobody’s cost structure can survive MaxSavers."
* `& K+ r; Z$ `) C/ z$ V+ M+ K* Y7 j1. A) little
! Q" t3 I' D' N; K$ r7 F B) slowly 2 W/ j; J4 D1 }3 L O1 [0 D
C) quick
+ j# \/ O0 k& `1 W) M; q# W7 f* _8 f D) radically i2 I. W M8 R( n, @
2. A) burst
: y% \0 \1 Z' P# K( ~6 M B) explode
, [: c7 u$ i& ~. |6 L J/ S C) opened
/ ?( _9 e% u: ?- P% r+ n* r) G D) disappeared
# B5 A2 q5 h5 x* r3. A) gained
/ U0 @2 [$ _ F4 b+ p B) made
% b! ?6 @2 x# z8 E, Q C) lost
; m( D2 ]; k$ p: k D) disappeared - Y: ^ s8 X2 m2 V7 ~
4. A) emerged * o0 |1 R' d7 T+ h
B) merged
5 O+ I- W# E3 { ~9 @' Q C) has combined & z' v' J' h$ ~3 {. c5 M
D) mixed
! F- g# f2 f8 P8 x5. A) what
: k' V- A7 f& T \) V1 V B) which ( e6 a3 M+ e; D6 {6 V
C) where : r: h% S ~$ l9 t, x2 d
D) that
& \4 X2 c( l0 V6 @7 r6. A) expand
y6 G! r" D& v! B5 y+ `" z B) to extend
3 A @5 _- k- T$ b! r' z) [ C) expanded 7 ]7 L- [9 k# |
D) extended
3 ^( b/ E5 s2 O7 q5 B$ o7. A) called
$ F8 |6 ~ }# G' V/ t( T1 h5 l8 W B) calling
8 u% f C) ?( z# b( F8 ]& ~& { C)to call
- ^. A: y/ i% M5 F6 `: J4 b2 V9 v D) calling on
5 @4 A" t( ?: }4 ?5 R8. A) to
8 ?5 C/ l0 }$ h, S B) for
4 }: t. r8 ^; R' W. O3 u C) with 4 D8 C9 I7 W! C8 K: m7 c
D) by $ p P; `2 M1 w& C: w( O
9. A) what ( g: G+ X" H+ U, a
B) that 0 P- q& Z) d) e+ e+ l- O% S
C) which 8 ^8 O- t2 v1 _' T: Q
D) this & @/ i5 _- H ?' A4 T; m& c
10. A) put off
6 |- n3 a) ~0 k! ?+ G B) canceling 5 i" c& Z6 B7 q7 o( N
C) destroyed 3 T4 G8 c' V5 p" \! [
D) canceled / B+ \* g* ?8 h- U/ R. _# n
11. A) before 9 J6 c$ G. ?: m! |
B) in advance # k8 P$ g r: A% v0 \9 D
C) ahead of 4 J% Q' l$ t, G8 v4 \
D) later
& t$ N& `, T2 p5 V12. A) introduced
9 A. I! H) `! M B) brought in
9 a6 P- R, \8 F! u& n9 e, D C) taken in
/ c3 @( j2 G$ @, |/ b D) adapted 9 \0 Y. D$ C7 P1 J% F0 _
13. A) advanced 2 ?5 {2 O$ E. v7 r" u0 M
B) before 4 e% Q/ Y' x+ N3 N
C) ahead
, |0 E# g8 ^$ F& q6 \2 z2 ~+ }- Z D) prior to 5 y+ d( A. s! `4 x% Q3 e1 z8 b
14. A) lately
1 G M' n; b2 y1 l B) later & D6 ?1 q& l- O0 u0 c& y
C) late % F `1 e8 y9 C- a" X+ H8 K
D) latter 3 d- z: i% x' N( S5 }: q
15. A) despite of ; x7 C' q4 G% }$ ^+ e
B) despite
) E6 Q- s2 L! {. Y C) in spite ) d: n$ a. }2 b1 W5 c4 T5 h6 E
D) although
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- t/ l c. O2 G8 t2 Z* @KEY: DACBD CADCD BAABB |