The airplane flight between the Scottish islands of Westray and Papa Westray holds the world record for the shortest commercial flight, as the plane is usually in the air for just under 2 minutes.

    Most of us can just hop into a car, bus, or train for short trips, but things are different in the islands of northern Scotland. The few people who call the Orkney Islands their home have only two options, a ferry ride over rough waters, or an incredibly short flight in a small plane. The second option is the most popular – because the ferry can often face disruption (中断) due to rough waters – and the most famous because of how short the flights can be. In fact, the flight between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray is officially recognized as the world’s shortest commercial flight.

    The world’s shortest commercial flight was first established in 1967 and has been operated by Loganair ever since. It covers a distance of just 1.7 miles, which is shorter than the runways of most major airports and is more similar to a bus ride than an actual airplane flight. Passengers are flown in a Britten-Norman Islander, a small plane that requires only one pilot and has just eight seats. As you can imagine there is no in-flight service available.

    In normal conditions, the world’s shortest commercial flight lasts between 90 and 120 seconds, but as one pilot has demonstrated, in favorable weather conditions, it can be completed in just 53 seconds. However, in unfavorable circumstances, the plane will be in the air for almost 3 minutes.

    The flight between Westray and Papa Westray has been criticized as unnecessarily bad for the environment because of the short distance it covers, but for the residents of Westray (600) and Papa Westray (90), it is a vital link to other more populated islands. For Orkney Islands residents, the flights are subsidized (补助) by the Scottish government, while tourists can expect to pay between £17 to £45.

    Despite the small populations of the two islands, the world’s shortest flight can be quite busy during the summer months, as there are plenty of tourists willing to experience it for themselves.

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1.Why is the flight between Westray and Papa Westray so welcome among the residents?

A It offers stunning views of the Scottish coastline.

B It is significantly cheaper than the ferry ride.

C It can work under terrible sea conditions.

D The ferry does not operate in summer months.

解析：选C。C推理判断题。根据第二段的“The second option is the most popular – because the ferry can often face disruption due to rough waters”可知，航班出行是最受欢迎的——因为渡轮经常因波涛汹涌的海面而中断。即飞机能不受海面状况影响而飞行。故选C。

2.Which of the following statements about the Britten-Norman Islander is true?

A It can carry up to 16 passengers.

B It requires two pilots to operate.

C It has been used since 1967.

D It offers full in-flight service.

解析：选C。C细节理解题。根据第三段的“The world’s shortest commercial flight was first established in 1967”和“Passengers are flown in a Britten-Norman Islander, a small plane”可知，世界上最短的商业航班于1967年首次建立，乘客乘坐的是布里顿-诺曼客机。故选C。

3.Why has the flight faced criticism?

A It is too expensive for the local residents.

B It is criticized for being bad for the environment.

C It does not operate during unfavorable weather conditions.

D It disrupts the local wildlife and creates excessive noise pollution.

解析：选B。B细节理解题。根据第五段的“The flight between Westray and Papa Westray has been criticized as unnecessarily bad for the environment because of the short distance it covers”可知，该航班因距离短而被批评为对环境有害。故选B。

4.In which part of a newspaper can we read the passage?

A People & Environment.

B Nature & Geography.

C Culture & History.

D Travel & Transportation.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。本文主要讲了全球飞行时间最短的商业航班，最快只需53秒就完成飞行，这也吸引了很多游客夏季前去打卡，因此属于“旅游和交通”版块。故选D。