[Washington， 16 April 2009] President Barack Obama wants the United State to join other industrialized countries in having an extensive high-speed rail system． The president has announced his plan to accelerate the development of high-speed rail in the U．S．
President Obama says high-speed rail could do for America what it is already doing for other countries， including China and Spain． "A high-speed line between Madrid and Seville is so successful that more people travel between those cities by rail than by car and airplane combined． China， where service began just two years ago， may have more miles of high-speed rail service than any other country just five years from now，" he said．
High-speed rail only serves America's Northeast corridor， between Washington， D．C． and Boston， Massachusetts． But plans are under way to extend the rapid movement to other areas of the country．
Before leaving for Latin America， Mr． Obama outlined his two-part strategy for accelerating those plans． "Improving our existing rail lines， to make current train service faster， but also identifying potential corridors for the creation of world-class high-speed rail，" he said．
Congress included ﹩8 billion for rail development in the economic stimulus（刺激）legislation it passed in February．Mr．Obamais including another﹩5 billion for high-speed rail in his federal budget． High-speed rail has had mixed political support in the past． But President Obama says it could strengthen the US． economy， in addition to improving the country's transportation system． He says the United States should not be left behind while other nations are moving ahead with high-speed rail．
"So it is being done． It is just not being done here． There is no reason why we cannot do this． This is America． There is no reason why the future of travel should lie somewhere else， beyond our borders，" he said．
The president was joined at the announcement by Vice President Joe Biden， who， in 35 years at a U．S． Senator， is said to have taken almost 8.000 rail trips between Washington and his home in Willington， Delaware．



In Spain， more people would ______ if they traveled from Madrid to Seville．

A. take the rail
B. drive their cars
C. go by air
D. ride their bikes

Which of the following is true to the passage？ ______

A. High-speed rail is doing a lot for America．
B. High-speed rail is already doing much for Spain．
C. Now China has many more miles of high-speed rail service than any other country．
D. President Obama wants to change the situation that America has no high-speed rail service．

Obama's plans of extensive high-speed rail system include the following except ______ ．

A. improving America's existing rail line
B. creating its high-speed rail system of world class
C. making its current train service faster
D. strengthening America's economy

When Obama announced this plan， Vice President Joe Biden ______ ．

A. had taken his trip back home in Wilmington， Delaware
B. was leaving for Latin America
C. was on holiday in Boston， Massachusetts
D. was right present in Washington