TEXT F

　　First read the following question.
　　31. The President of Association of American Railroads wrote the letter to ____ .
　　A. complain about public ignorance of its efforts to improve the service
　　B. criticize US News for not reporting its efforts to improve the safety record
　　C. inform the public of what it has achieved over the past decade
　　D. thank US News for informing the public of its efforts to reduce accident

　　Now go through TEXT F quickly and answer question 31.
　　December 20th 199
　　Dear Editor.
　　The American railroad industry's commitment to safety is demonstrated by a steadily declining accident rate over the past decade. The accident rate per million train miles has been reduced by 55 percent since 1981 and 21 percent since 1990. In 11 of the past 16 years, the rail passenger fatality rate was lower than or the same as the airline rate. In addition, rail employees had half the number of lost workday injuries per 100 full-time employees as did airline workers.
　　Nowhere does US News mention that America's railroads have spent more than US $90 billion just since 1990 to maintain and improve tracks and equipment. Nowhere do you mention that railroads — on their own initiative and at their own expense developed and installed a new type of wheel that is much less likely to fracture and cause accidents. Nowhere do you mention how railroads are now testing a new type of electronically assisted brake that can reduce stopping distance by 40 percent. Nowhere do you explain that more than 90 percent of rail-related fatalities involve highway-rail grade crossing accidents or trespassers — accidents over which railroads have almost no control. "Facts are stubborn things", wrote John Adams more than 200 years ago. Stubborn, that is, unless you choose to ignore them. That is what US News has chosen to do.
　　Edwin L. Harper
　　President and Chief Executive Officer Association of American Railroads