It is expected that this 18 will save about $2 billion a year.
答案:(A) move
this move(這項措施/這個做法)指前文提到取消週六送信的決定,預期此舉每年可省下約20億美元;round/chance/fact 均不符合此處語意。
move 這個字,你的印象大概只有動詞的「移動、搬家」,不太會想到它當名詞是「舉措、做法」。
答對率剛過五成,鑑別度高達 63,是本批最會分人的一題,分的是有沒有回頭把 this 的所指釘回前面。這是指標勾環:看到 this 帶著一個名詞,先問「這個 this 指的是前面哪一件事」,再看哪一個選項接得住。前面講的是郵政署決定週六不再送信(stop delivering mail on Saturdays),那是一個決定、一項做法;move 當名詞正是「舉措、行動」,this move 就是「這項措施」。填進去讀成 It is expected that this move will save about $2 billion a year(預計這項措施每年可省下約二十億美元)。這一句自己看不出該填哪一個名詞,四個填進去都合文法,線索一定在前面那幾句。
round(一回合、一輪)要有一連串重複的回合才說得通,這裡是一次性的決定;chance(機會)與 fact(事實)文法上都放得進去,形態吻合,容易被順手選走,但前面那件事既不是一個機會,也不是在陳述一項事實,而是一個做出來的動作。
move(名詞:舉措、行動)、make a move(採取行動、有所動作)、It is expected that ...(預計、預期……)、this + 名詞(回指前面提過的人事物)、a round of(一輪、一回合)、congressional approval(國會批准)。
The U.S. Postal Service has been struggling financially for some time. It plans to stop delivering mail on Saturdays, 16 Aug. 1 this year. This decision was announced on Wednesday without congressional approval. 17 forbidden to do so by the Congress, the agency for the first time will deliver mail only Monday through Friday. It is expected that this 18 will save about $2 billion a year.
In recent years, the postal service has suffered tens of billions of dollars in losses 19 the increasing popularity of the Internet and e-commerce.
The postal service plans to continue Saturday delivery of packages, which remain a profitable and growing part of the delivery business. Post offices would remain open on Saturdays 20 customers can drop off mail or packages, buy postage stamps, or access their post office boxes. But hours would likely be reduced at thousands of smaller locations.