The most frightening words in the English language are, "Our computer is down." You hear it more and more when you are in business. The other day I was at the airport waiting for a ticket to Washington and the girl in the ticket office said, "I'm sorry,, I can't sell you a ticket. Our computer is down."

"If your computer is down, just write me out a ticket."

"I can't write you out a ticket. The computer is the only one allowed to do so."

　 I looked down the counter（柜台） and every passenger was just standing there drinking coffee and looking at the black screen. Then I asked her, "What do you do?"

　 "We give the computer the information about your trip and then it tells us whether you can fly

with us or not."

　 "So when it goes down, you go down with it."

　 "That's right, sir."

　 "How long will the computer be down?" I wanted to know.

　 "I have no idea. Sometimes it's down for 10 minutes, sometimes for two hours. There is no way we can find out without asking the computer, and since it's down it won't answer us."

　 After the girl told me they had no backup(备用) computer, I said, "Let's forget the computer. What about your planes'? They're still flying, aren't they?"

　 "I couldn't tell without asking the computer."

　 "Maybe I could just go to the gate and ask the pilot if he's flying to Washington," I suggested.

"I wouldn't know what gate to send you to. Even if the pilot was going to Washington, he couldn't take you if you didn't have a ticket."

"Is there any other flight to Washington within the next few hours?"

"I wouldn't know," she said, pointing at the dark screen. "Only 'IT' knows. "IT' can't tell me."

By this time there were quite a few people standing in line. The word spread to other travelers that the computer was down. Some people left without a word, some people started to cry and still others kicked their luggage（行李）.

26. What could the girl in the ticket office do for the passengers without asking the computer?

　　 A. She could answer questions.　　　 B. She could do nothing.

　　 C. She could sell a ticket.　　　　　　 D. She could write out a ticket.

27. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

　　 A. The girl didn't want to sell the writer a ticket

　　 B. The computer would be OK in just 10 minutes.

　　 C. If the writer didn't have a ticket, the pilot wouldn't take him

　 D. The writer could go to the gate and ask the pilot to take him to Washington.

28. The last paragraph suggests that _______.

　　 A. sometimes a computer may make people suffer

　　 B. computers can take the place of humans

　　 C. nothing can be done without a computer.

　　 D. no one can keep calm when computers break down

29. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. When in trouble, ask the computer to help you

B. The computer system of the airport

C. Getting help from others when the computer is down

D. An unpleasant experience for a passenger at an airport