阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳答案，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑.

第一篇

　　It was 7 a.m. in Kyoto, Japan, and the taxi company had just called a second time to say they couldn' t find my house. Once again I spelt out directions even a blind person could follow, I glanced impatiently at my watch, and waited. Only two hours remained until my flight left and it was an hour-and-a-half trip to the airport.

　　Outside, heavy rains were pouring down. My house was so far north in the city that buses pass only three times a day.

　　The telephone rang again. "Terribly sorry," began the man at the taxi company. Then I rea-lized that the taxi company, flooded with calls, could only offer in-city runs. I had heard this happens when the weather gets bad. I shouted into the phone that I had a plane to catch and I would meet the taxi outside my house.

　　Standing in the wind-driven rain, I looked up and down the road. No taxi. A car went by,　driver and passenger staring at the crazy foreigner in the downpour.　Finally a white car appeared and pulled to a stop. A young man threw open the door, waving　for me to get in. Shaking with cold and anger, I climbed in.

　　In the most polite Japanese, the man said he was called Mike, with whom I had spoken three times that morning. He had left his post in the office and raced here in his personal car. He apologized again, but did not explain why a taxi would not pick me up. Delivering me straight to the airport, he refused the 2000 yen I pressed into his hand.

　　A few hours later, as the storm-delayed 727 took off, I opened the newspaper. On the second page my eyes caught the headline of a short article:" Taxi Strike Begins This Morning in Kyoto."

56. Why did the writer call a taxi early in the morning?
[ A ] There were few taxis in town.
[ B ] He was unable to find the airport.
[ C ] He wanted to catch a plane.
[ D ] All the buses stopped because of the rain.

57. What was the reason for r the taxi company not being able to pick him up?
[ A ] The taxi drivers refused to work.
[ B ] The writer didn' t give the correct address.
[ C ] More people were riding in taxis on rainy days.
[ D ] The taxi drivers didn' t like to drive long distance.

58. The writer got to the airport .
[ A ] by getting a lift in a passing car
[ B ] with the help of Mike from the post office
[ C ] by riding in Mike' s car from the taxi company
[ D ] with the help of a taxi driver sent by his company

59. We can learn from the text that the driver is .
[ A ] quick-minded at taking actions
[ B ] warm-hearted toward people
[ C ] unfamiliar with the road
[ D ] a self-employed driver