English 杂文

Because visitors to any country are unfamiliar with public bus or subway systems, they are likely to travel by taxi when they first arrive. In most cities in the United States,taxis are considered a“luxury”. (In New York,for example,there is a basic charge for the taxi even before it begins to move! In addition，it is often difficult to find a taxi at the busiest time of day，or when the weather is bad.

Telephoning in advance for a taxi is possible telephone numbers can be found in the local telephone book,but you may find it easier，quicker,and less expensive to stop them on the street or find them at taxi stands near large hotels,railroad stations or airports.

Generally，taxis charge passengers according to the time required for each trip, but there are some cities，for example,Washing tan D . C.,where taxis charge according to the zone system . This means that the city is divided into zones and you are charged according to how many zones you enter.

Rules concerning the number of passengers a taxi is allowed to carry or the fare charges to each person among a group of passengers vary from city to city. In addition，taxi in many cities charge more for large suitcases. You should ask the driver about these matters when you enter the taxi so that you will understand how the fare is figured.

In some of the larger American cities，for example，San Francisco,Chicago，or New York,the airport is located quite a distance from the center of the city. In these and other cities, buses travel from the airport to the city. You will find that they are much less expensive than taxis.