TV shows and programs involving nature and America in order to most effectively reach target audiences. Results were impressive. The Empire Builder, which was focused on in one ad, enjoyed a 15 percent increase in profits on its Chicago to Seattle route.

　　31. What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

　　A) To show the inability of trains to compete with planes with respect to speed and convenience.

　　B) To stress the influence of the automobile on America’s standard of convenience.

　　C) To emphasize the function of travel agencies in market promotion.

　　D) To illustrate the important role of persuasive communication in changing consumer attitudes.

　　32. It can be inferred from the passage that the drop in Amtrak ridership was due to the fact that ________.

　　A) trains were not suitable for short distance passenger transportation

　　B) trains were not the fastest and most convenient form of transportation

　　C) trains were not as fast and convenient as they used to be

　　D) trains could not compete with planes in terms of luxury and convenience

　　33. To encourage consumers to travel by train, DDB Needham emphasized ________.

　　A) the freedom and convenience provided on trains

　　B) the practical aspects of train travel

　　C) the adventurous aspects of train trips

　　D) the safety and cleanliness of train trips

　　34. The train ads were placed among family-oriented TV programs involving nature and America because ________.

　　A) they could focus on meaningful travel experiences

　　B) they could increase the effectiveness of the TV programs

　　C) their profits could be increased by some 15 percent

　　D) most travel-lovers and nervous fliers were believed to be among the audiences

　　35. According to the passage, the Empire Builder enjoyed an increase in ridership and profits because ________.

　　A) the attractiveness of its name and route was effectively advertised

　　B) it provided an exciting travel experience

　　C) its passengers could enjoy the great western outdoors

　　D) it was widely advertised in newspapers and magazines in Chicago and Seattle

　　31. D 32. B 33.C 34. D 35. A

　　Believe it or not, optical illusion (錯覺) can cut highway crashes.

　　Japan is a case in point. It has reduced automobile crashes on some roads by nearly 75 percent using a simple optical illusion. Bent stripes, called chevrons (人字形), painted on the roads make drivers think that they are driving faster than they really are, and thus drivers slow down.

　　Now the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety in Washington D.C. is planning to repeat Japan’s success. Starting next year, the foundation will paint chevrons and other patterns of stripes on selected roads around the country to test how well the patterns reduce highway crashes.

　　Excessive speed plays a major role in as much as one fifth of all fatal traffic accidents, according to the foundation. To help reduce those accidents, the foundation will conduct its tests in areas where speed-related hazards are the greatest—curves, exit slopes, traffic circles, and bridges.

　　Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can initially cut the average speed of drivers in half. However, traffic often returns to full speed within months as drivers become used to seeing the painted bars.

　　Chevrons, scientists say, not only give drivers the impression that they are driving faster than they really are but also make a lane appear to be narrower. The result is a longer lasting reduction in highway sped and the number of traffic accidents.

　　26. The passage mainly discusses ________.

　　A) a new way of highway speed control

　　B) a new pattern for painting highways

　　C) a new approach to training drivers

　　D) a new type of optical illusion

　　27. On roads painted with chevrons, drivers tend to feel that ________.

　　A) they should avoid speed-related hazards

　　B) they are driving in the wrong lane

　　C) they should slow down their speed

　　D) they are approaching the speed limit

　　28. The advantage of chevrons over straight, horizontal bars is that the former ________.

　　A) can keep drivers awake

　　B) can cut road accidents in half

　　C) will have a longer effect on drivers

　　D) will look more attractive

　　29. The American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety plans to ________.

　　A) try out the Japanese method in certain areas

　　B) change the road signs across the country

　　C) replace straight, horizontal bars with chevrons

　　D) repeat the Japanese road patterns

　　30. What does the author say about straight, horizontal bars painted across roads?

　　A) They are falling out of use in the United States.

　　B) They tend to be ignored by drivers in a short period of time.

　　C) They are applicable only on broad roads.

　　D) They cannot be applied successfully to traffic circles.

　　26. A 27. C 28. C 29.A 30. B