Wang Mengshu, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said at a group discussion of the annual session of the National People’s Congress that WiFi should not be provided on high-speed trains, as it might harm communication signals (信号) of trains and would also cost a lot in keeping trains in good condition. He also encouraged passengers to enjoy the views, instead of fixing their eyes on the tiny screens of smartphones and laptops. However,Beijing Youth Dailysaid it should be market demand that decides whether the WiFi is offered on the trains or not.
An increasing number of people, especially young white-collar workers, are addicted to their smartphones rather than face-to-face communications, thanks to the extensive WiFi coverage across the country. ThatjustifiesWang’s disagreement to the offering of WiFi on high-speed trains, because they shouldn’t depend on high-tech devices. It is also obvious that passengers on trains without free WiFi will use their smartphones and other mobile devices less. However, whether the trains should provide a free WiFi service mainly depends on customer demand.
In other words, the China Railway Corp has to obey relevant market rules, and provide technologically possible services to passengers if that is what they want. It cannot turn a blind eye to customers’ wants.
Free WiFi, in fact, is already offered on a lot of buses and coaches. This is a natural response to their competition with trains (especially high-speed ones), which are significantly faster and safer. The bus companies have been forced to improve their services to survive. So it requires proper guidance, not total “no” on the use, to make up for the negative effects of high-end technologies, such as people’s increasing addiction to smartphones.
【小题1】Wang Mengshu thought Wifi shouldn’t be offered on the rain because it may ________.| A．make the communication signals harmful |
| B．cause a high cost in keeping trains in good condition |
| C．help people enjoy the beautiful views throughout a journey |
| D．prevent passengers being addicted to their smartphones and laptops |
| A．Gives an explanation. | B．Offers a response. |
| C．Confirms it incorrect. | D．Proves it reasonable. |
| A．compete for more passengers | B．help drivers stay concentrated |
| C．prevent passengers feeling bored | D．encourage passengers to use phones |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Objective. | D．Supportive. |
