2. 考研
  3. [A] Use diesel-electric hybrid buses in rural areas. [B] Talk about the benefits of walking to school. [C] Talk about the pric

[A] Use diesel-electric hybrid buses in rural areas. [B] Talk about the benefits of walking to school. [C] Talk about the pric

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问题 [A] Use diesel-electric hybrid buses in rural areas.
[B] Talk about the benefits of walking to school.
[C] Talk about the prices of traditional school buses.
[D] Find new ways to cut bus costs in rural areas.
[E] Compare school buses with private cars in safety.
[F] Discuss the disadvantage of driving to school.
[G] Discuss walking to school from the perspective of parents.
    Until last spring, Nia Parker and the other kids in her neighborhood commuted to school on Bus 59. But as fuel costs have risen, the Columbia school district has needed to find a way to cut its transportation costs. So the school’s busing company redrew its route map, eliminating Nia’s bus altogether, and advocated students to walk to school.
    【C1】______
    Instead, Nia and her neighbors travel the half mile to school via a "walking school bus"—a group of kids, supervised by an adult or two, who make the trek together. "It’s healthier for them to walk," Nia’s mom, who approves of the change. Nia, a 9-year-old who’s in fourth grade, sees other advantages. Since the bus used to pick up many children along a circuitous route, walking to school is actually quicker. "I like it because I get to sleep late, and I don’t get as grouchy," Nia says.
    Like the rest of us, school districts are feeling pinched by rising fuel costs—and finding new ways to adapt. The diesel fuel that powers school buses now costs an average of $4.28 a gallon, up 34 percent in the past two years. According to a survey done by the American Association of School Administrators in July, more than one third of school administrators have eliminated bus stops or routes in order to stay within budget.
    【C2】______
    Many parents are delighted to see their kids walking to school, partly because many did so themselves: in 1969, according to the National Household Travel Survey, nearly half of school kids walked or biked to school, compared with only 16 percent in 2001. Modern parents have been leery of letting kids walk to school for fear of traffic, crime or simple bullying, but with organized adult supervision, those concerns have diminished.
    Schools and busing companies are finding other ways to save by cutting field trips and redrawing athletic schedules to reduce the distances of "away" sporting events.
    【C3】______
    In rural areas where busing is a must, some schools have even opted for four-day school weeks. First Student Transportation, the leading US school bus provider, is training drivers to eliminate extra stops from routes, to turn off the engine while idling and to check tire pressure every time they leave the lot. First Student is also using route-optimization software to determine the most fuel-efficient routes, which aren’t always the shortest ones. A few schools now use diesel-electric hybrid buses, which achieve 12 miles per gallon (compared with 7mpg for a traditional bus). But at $180,000, hybrids cost more than twice as much as a traditional diesel bus, so few schools have switched.
    【C4】______
    There could be downsides, however, to the busing cutbacks. If every formerly bused student begins hoofing it to school, it’s an environmental win—but if too many of their parents decide to drive them instead, the overall carbon footprint can grow.
    【C5】______
    "On average, one school bus replaces 36 private vehicles," says Mike Martin of the National Association for Pupil Transportation, a pro-busing advocacy group. Replacing buses with many more parent-driven minivans can also increase safety risks: Martin cites a 2002 report by the National Academy of Sciences that concluded students are 13 times safer on a school bus than in a passenger car, since buses have fewer accidents and withstand them better due to their size.
【C5】
选项
答案E
解析 本段未出现明显的主题句，但全段都在谈论私家车取代公交车的弊端及父母用私家车接送孩子上学存在着潜在危险。作者对二者进行了比较并引用了国家科学院一份报告来证明公交车的安全系数远远大于私家车。本段内容反复出现了safety和safer，这与小标题[E]的表述一致，显然[E]为答案。
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