Question

The biggest safety threat facing airlines today may not be a terrorist with gun, but man with the portable computer in business class. In the last 15 years, pilots have reported well over 100 incidents that could have been caused by electromagnetic interference(电磁干扰). The source of this interference remains unconfirmed, but increasingly, experts are pointing the blame at portable electronic devices such as portable computers, radio and cassette players and mobile telephones.

RTCA, an organization which advises the aviation(航空) industry, has recommended that all airlines ban such devices from being used during “critical” stages of flight, particularly take-off and landing. Some experts have gone further, calling for a total ban during all flights. Currently, rules on using these devices are left up to individual airlines. And although some airlines prohibit passengers from using such equipment during take-off and landing, most are reluctant to place a total ban, given that many passengers want to work during flights.

The difficulty is predicting how electromagnetic fields might affect an aircraft’s computers. Experts know that portable devices give out radiation which affects those wavelengths which aircraft use for navigation(导航) and communication. But, because they have not been able to reproduce these effects in a laboratory, they have no way of knowing whether the interference might be dangerous or not.

The fact that aircraft may be damaged by interference raises the risk terrorists may use radio systems in order to damage navigation equipment. As worrying, though, is the passenger who can’t hear the instructions to turn off his radio because the music’s too loud.

1. The passage is mainly about ______.

A. effective safety measures for air flight

B. a possible cause of aircraft crashes

C. the faults of electronic devices

D. a new regulation for all airlines

2. Few airlines want to place a total ban on their passengers using electronic devices because ______.

A. they have other effective safety measures to fall back on

B. they don’t believe there is such a danger as radio interference

C. the harmful effect of electromagnetic interference is yet to be proved

D. most passengers refuse to take a plane which bans the use of radio and cassette players

3. Why is it difficult to predict the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on an airplane’s computer?

A. Because experts lack adequate equipment to do such research.

B. Because it is extremely dangerous to conduct such research on an airplane.

C. Because it remains a mystery what wavelengths are easier to be interfered with.

D. Because research scientists have not been able to produce the same effects in labs.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the author ______.

A. hasn’t formed his own opinion on this problem

B. has overestimated the danger of electromagnetic interference

C. regards it as unreasonable to exercise a total ban during flight

D. is in favor of prohibiting passengers’ use of electronic devices completely

 

Answer 1

答案：1B2C3D4D
提示：

本文主要介绍一起空难的可能原因，故1题选B项。2题参见文章第一段。3题询问的是原因，正确的答案是D. 从文章内容来看，作者支持禁止乘客使用电子设备，故4题选D.