Question

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that 42% of Americans could be overweight by 2030. Our expanding waistlines lead to not only a medical problem, but according to a recent article in The New York Times, it could also endanger personal situations 一 in an airplane crash, for example.

The New York Times’ Christine Negroni reports that engineers and scientists are questioning whether airplane seats are adequately constructed to protect overweight travelers. Government standards for airplane seat strength (強(qiáng)度）first set more than 60 years ago一 require that the seats be made for a passenger weighing 170 pounds (77kg). Today, the average American man weighs nearly 194 pounds (88 kg) and the average woman 165 pounds (75 kg). Negroni reports:

“If a heavier person completely fills a seat, the seat is not likely to behave as intended during a crash,” said Robert Salzar, the leading scientist at the Center for Applied Biomechanics at the University of Virginia. “The energy absorption that is built into the aircraft seat is likely to be overpowered and the passengers will not be protected properly. "

“Nor would the injury be limited to that passenger only,” Dr. Salzar said “ If a seat or a seat belt fails,” he said, “those people who are seated nearby could be endangered by ‘ the uncontrolled movements of the passenger’.”

Most complaints about airplane seats focus on their lack of comfort and high ticket price and whether overweight passengers should be made to buy two seats. But The New York Times’ article brings up another reason to feel anxious about flying. Investigators of the issue got in touch with the airplane seat and seat belt makers, but they refused to comment on the problem. Experts agreed that crash testing should be done with overweight dummies (人體模型). Both airplane seats and seat belts should be tested, they said.

Fortunately, however, according to Nora Marshall, a senior adviser at the National Transportation Safety Board, the board’s investigators have never seen an accident involving a commercial plane in which the weight of a passenger is a problem.

1.What is the article in The New York Times mainly concerned with?

A. The size of airplane seats and seat belts.

B. Safety of overweight airplane passengers.

C. Airplane crashes involving commercial planes.

D. A medical problem caused by being overweight.

2.Robert Salzar would probably agree that ______ .

A. overweight passengers should buy two seats

B. the government should help produce bigger planes

C. standards for airplane seat strength should be raised

D. passengers should know how to protect themselves

3.We can learn from the text that ______ .

A. airplane seat makers have taken action now

B. there are few complaints about airplane seats

C. those seated near the overweight may suffer too

D. only a small number of airplane accidents involve the overweight

4.What is the best title for the text?

A. Why do passengers feel anxious about flying?

B. Will 42% of Americans be overweight by 2030?

C. When will the overweight enjoy their flight?

D. Are airplane seats safe enough for the overweight?

Answer 1