W: there is an element there about the competitioner, isn’t there? Because British railways are a nationalized industry, there isn’t any one railway system in the country. If you don’t like a particular kind of big beans, you can go on by another; but if you don’t like the particular railway, you can’t go on using another
M: some people who write to me say this. They say that if you did not have a monopoly, you would not be able to do the things you do. Well, I don’t think we do anything deliberately to upset our customers, we have particular problems. Since 1946, when the Transport Act came in, we were nationalized.
W: Do you think that is a good thing? Has it been a good thing for the railways, do you think, to be nationalized?
M: Oh, I think so, yes, because in general, mosts of the transports are all around. Let’s face the fact, the car are arrived the cars are here to stay. There is no question about that
W:So what’s your saying then? Is it if the railways haven’t been nationalized, they would simply have disappeared?
M: Oh, I think they would have. They are disappearing fast in America. The French railways lose 1 billion pounds a year, the German railways, 2 billion a year. But you see those governments are preparing to pour the money into the transport system to keep it going
W: So, In a sense, you call between two extremes. On the one hand, they are trying not to lose too much money, and on the other hand, you’ve got to provide the best service.
M: Yes, you are right
Questions 22 to 25 are based on the conversation you’ve just heard
22. What does the woman say about the British railways?
23. What do some people who write to the man complain about?
24. What does the man say threatens the existence of the railways?
25. What does the man say about the railways in other countries?
