Questions 1-2 refer to the following article. 

The Smallville Department of Transportation (SDT) announced that it will begin construction on a new bus lane downtown. The construction is scheduled to begin at the end of July, a city official said. The new bus lane will provide direct service to the main financial district, and will replace bus lines 3 and 4. Studies have been conducted on traffic patterns and it is expected that the new service will reduce commuting time by 25 percent. Crane Construction has been contracted to build the new lane. Unfortunately, Main St. will be closed from July 22^nd to August 30^th, while the construction is taking place. The SDT has asked all commuters who drive to work to take 122 Avenue instead of Main Street.

Question 1: What does the SDT say about the new service?

Questions 3-5 refer to the following job advertisement. 

Charity Hospital is looking for an organized, motivated individual to fill the position of Director of Dining Services, starting August 15^th.

Responsibility of the position include planning weekly meals for patients, managing a staff of thirty food service workers, and placing food supplies orders every month. You may also be asked to organize food for special events, such as hospital benefits.

The successful applicant will have at least five years’ experience working as a manager in some business field, and a university degree. Specific experience in the hospitability industry is preferred, but not required.

Interested individuals should pick up an application from the Food Service Department at Charity Hospital, which is located on the first floor of the hospital. Please fill out the application and submit it, along with 2 reference letters and a cover letter, by July 24, 2007. Application will be available starting June 21, 2007.

Question 3: What kind of position is being advertised?

Questions 6-10 refer to the following article. 

McDowell Publishing plans to merge with Harvey Media this January, a spokesman for McDowell Publishing said. The new company will be called McDowell and Harvey Media. The decision comes after both companies experienced their third straight year of losses. Both companies have struggled to complete with the world’s largest publishing company, Watson Media Inc., which accounts for about 75 percent of the market. Since Watson Media Inc. was founded by Charles Duvet Jr. in 1999, the company has successfully forced ten other small publishing companies to declare bankruptcy. According to a spokesman from Harvey Media, after the merge is completed, the new company will launch a 3-million-dollar marketing campaign. Jackson Polkins, the famous children’s writer, has already announced he will be leaving Watson Media Inc. to pursue a contract with the new company.

Question 6: The word “losses” underlined in the article is closest in meaning to