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Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension
Section B (原快速阅读理解调整为长篇阅读理解，篇章长度和难度不变。篇章后附有10个句子，每句一题。每句所含的信息出自篇章的某一段落，要求考生找出与每句所含信息相匹配的段落。)
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.
You may choose a paragraph more marking the corresponding letter on than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by Answer Sheet 2.
Why Are Airlines Withholding Seats?
Behind the screen indeed
[D] An awful plot goes on behind airline and travel booking screens, and much of it is strictly off-limits to consumers. What we do know is that for decades now airlines have become masters of what the industry calls yield management, offering millions of combinations of fares based on advance purchase patterns and other booking trends, so nearly everyone pays a different price based on when they buy. But now that paying extra for your seat selection has become common practice, securing your reservation is just half the battle.
[E] Some industry experts have connected the dots. Theyre trying to get people to buy premium seats, says George Hobica, USATODAY.coms Fly Guy columnist and the founder of Airfarewatchdog.com. They want to increase revenue. And were getting more complaints about it. He notes that it really annoys passengers who want to sit together, particularly when traveling with small children.
[F] Hes echoed by Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition:With yield management, consumers are aware and they know that airlines are constantly changing prices on seats. But if this is true, it is unethicaltheyre grossly misleading us. The thing that I find so offensive is conveying to me that I have no options, but if I wait a week or two then I do have options.
[G ] According to the airlines, the reason for ancillary revenue is unbundling ticket prices, so passengers who desire a given servicesay checking a bag or ordering a soft drinkpay for it, while those who dont are spared the cost. But as Mitchell notes, Theres another twist to this. The airlines are saying fees are for optional services. Well, seats arent optional!
[H ] Of course, securing a good seat isnt an issue if youre in first class or youre an elite member of a frequent flyer program. But what about the rest of us? As Ive pointed out repeatedly in recent columns, were faced with record-high load factors, the highest for the U.S. airline industry since World War II. But even with the average percentage of occupied seats for domestic flights at 82.7%, its still an averagesome flights will be fuller but others will not, particularly weeks in advance. Yet searching for seats keeps getting harder and harder.
Seats for sale
[I ] Hobica cites the major airlines as the prime culprits members, and become available without additional charge 24 hours prior to departure. When asked if Delta has received complaints about a dearth of free seats, he stated, Overall, our seat program has been received very well.
[L] But my findings dovetailed When tried to get a seat assignment on the first flight there was just one complimentary available... the other available seats had to be purchased for $69. On the connecting flight there were no complimentary seats at all! Is this legal? He bought and paid for a ticket on these flights and now he is supposed to buy a seat! paying for the flight, a message popped up and said that I could only get a seat assignment when I checked in. In order to get a confirmed seat, I had to pay $129 extra! Unless I pay, without a confirmed seat, I am the first one to be bumped from the flight if they are overbooked. How do they get away with this? Does checking in online at the 24-hour mark before the flight give me a number in line or let me select seats then? Or do we all rush the gate with our boarding passes in order to get the seat assignment?
How to respond?
[M] So what can you do? Its a tough proposition. Usually I would offer strategies for countering such airline initiatives, but in this case the options are limited. Thats why some believe the U.S. Department of Transportation should investigate these practices. As Mitchell says, The airlines are holding all the cards with this one. There is a sore need for transparency on this. When people are confused, they make bad decisions.
[N] That said, consider the following: When budgeting your airfares, make sure you consider not just baggage fees but the added cost of seat selectionfor all travelers and in both directions. If possible, book early, when there should be more seats available, and check in early too. Why the qualifier should? Because if availability is artificially manipulated, its hard to be certain. Book airlines that offer more transparent seat- selection policies. Of course, this is not an issue with Southwest and other carriers that offer open seating policies. Finally, the last resort is what Hobica calls horse trading: negotiating seat swaps with other passengers. But this has become a risky and undesirable option with flights so full, overhead bins (行李仓)so crammed and fellow passengers who may have paid for premium seats in advance.
46. Behind the airline and travel booking screens, a terrible plot is being carried out, much of which is rigorously kept confidential from passengers.
47. The airlines excuse for additional fees is unbundling ticket prices, so those who want the given service like baggage check and soft drink ordering will have to pay.
48. Whether some carriers withhold seats on purpose for earning consumers，premium is a question deserving to be cleared up.
49. Mitchell holds that there is an urgent need for transparency on carriers# seat assignments.
50. While Hobica ascribes the main responsibilities to the major airlines, he also mentions that the low-cost carriers are making securing seats difficult.
51. Some believe that, in order to solve the problem of airlines，withholding seats, some actions should be taken by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
52. When people budget their airfares, they should consider both the baggage fees and the added cost of seat selection.
53. Kevin Mitchell considers the so-called yield management of the industry unethical and misleading.
54. What the spokesman of Delta says suggests that the preferred economy-class tickets are available 24 hours in advance of the planes departure.
55. The last strategy to counter the airlines initiatives is to exchange seats with other passengers by negotiating with them.
Part Ⅲ Reading Comprehension
Section B (原快速阅读理解调整为长篇阅读理解，篇章长度和难度不变。篇章后附有10个句子，每句一题。每句所含的信息出自篇章的某一段落，要求考生找出与每句所含信息相匹配的段落。)
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived.
You may choose a paragraph more marking the corresponding letter on than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by Answer Sheet 2.
Why Are Airlines Withholding Seats?
Behind the screen indeed
[D] An awful plot goes on behind airline and travel booking screens, and much of it is strictly off-limits to consumers. What we do know is that for decades now airlines have become masters of what the industry calls yield management, offering millions of combinations of fares based on advance purchase patterns and other booking trends, so nearly everyone pays a different price based on when they buy. But now that paying extra for your seat selection has become common practice, securing your reservation is just half the battle.
[E] Some industry experts have connected the dots. Theyre trying to get people to buy premium seats, says George Hobica, USATODAY.coms Fly Guy columnist and the founder of Airfarewatchdog.com. They want to increase revenue. And were getting more complaints about it. He notes that it really annoys passengers who want to sit together, particularly when traveling with small children.
[F] Hes echoed by Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition:With yield management, consumers are aware and they know that airlines are constantly changing prices on seats. But if this is true, it is unethicaltheyre grossly misleading us. The thing that I find so offensive is conveying to me that I have no options, but if I wait a week or two then I do have options.
[G ] According to the airlines, the reason for ancillary revenue is unbundling ticket prices, so passengers who desire a given servicesay checking a bag or ordering a soft drinkpay for it, while those who dont are spared the cost. But as Mitchell notes, Theres another twist to this. The airlines are saying fees are for optional services. Well, seats arent optional!
[H ] Of course, securing a good seat isnt an issue if youre in first class or youre an elite member of a frequent flyer program. But what about the rest of us? As Ive pointed out repeatedly in recent columns, were faced with record-high load factors, the highest for the U.S. airline industry since World War II. But even with the average percentage of occupied seats for domestic flights at 82.7%, its still an averagesome flights will be fuller but others will not, particularly weeks in advance. Yet searching for seats keeps getting harder and harder.
Seats for sale
[I ] Hobica cites the major airlines as the prime culprits members, and become available without additional charge 24 hours prior to departure. When asked if Delta has received complaints about a dearth of free seats, he stated, Overall, our seat program has been received very well.
[L] But my findings dovetailed When tried to get a seat assignment on the first flight there was just one complimentary available... the other available seats had to be purchased for $69. On the connecting flight there were no complimentary seats at all! Is this legal? He bought and paid for a ticket on these flights and now he is supposed to buy a seat! paying for the flight, a message popped up and said that I could only get a seat assignment when I checked in. In order to get a confirmed seat, I had to pay $129 extra! Unless I pay, without a confirmed seat, I am the first one to be bumped from the flight if they are overbooked. How do they get away with this? Does checking in online at the 24-hour mark before the flight give me a number in line or let me select seats then? Or do we all rush the gate with our boarding passes in order to get the seat assignment?
How to respond?
[M] So what can you do? Its a tough proposition. Usually I would offer strategies for countering such airline initiatives, but in this case the options are limited. Thats why some believe the U.S. Department of Transportation should investigate these practices. As Mitchell says, The airlines are holding all the cards with this one. There is a sore need for transparency on this. When people are confused, they make bad decisions.
[N] That said, consider the following: When budgeting your airfares, make sure you consider not just baggage fees but the added cost of seat selectionfor all travelers and in both directions. If possible, book early, when there should be more seats available, and check in early too. Why the qualifier should? Because if availability is artificially manipulated, its hard to be certain. Book airlines that offer more transparent seat- selection policies. Of course, this is not an issue with Southwest and other carriers that offer open seating policies. Finally, the last resort is what Hobica calls horse trading: negotiating seat swaps with other passengers. But this has become a risky and undesirable option with flights so full, overhead bins (行李仓)so crammed and fellow passengers who may have paid for premium seats in advance.
46. Behind the airline and travel booking screens, a terrible plot is being carried out, much of which is rigorously kept confidential from passengers.
47. The airlines excuse for additional fees is unbundling ticket prices, so those who want the given service like baggage check and soft drink ordering will have to pay.
48. Whether some carriers withhold seats on purpose for earning consumers，premium is a question deserving to be cleared up.
49. Mitchell holds that there is an urgent need for transparency on carriers# seat assignments.
50. While Hobica ascribes the main responsibilities to the major airlines, he also mentions that the low-cost carriers are making securing seats difficult.
51. Some believe that, in order to solve the problem of airlines，withholding seats, some actions should be taken by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
52. When people budget their airfares, they should consider both the baggage fees and the added cost of seat selection.
53. Kevin Mitchell considers the so-called yield management of the industry unethical and misleading.
54. What the spokesman of Delta says suggests that the preferred economy-class tickets are available 24 hours in advance of the planes departure.
55. The last strategy to counter the airlines initiatives is to exchange seats with other passengers by negotiating with them.
