How good are U.S. drivers?
The CBS TV “National Drivers Test” showed that many U.S. drivers have a lot to learn. Here’s why:
CBS picked 1,799 samples(被实验者) to take the test in TV studios in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles. More than two out of five of the drivers failed the test. And the average score was the lowest passing mark－51 points out of a possible 80.
Chicago drivers did best with an average of 53 points. Los Angeles drivers came next with 52 points. New York and Philadephia drivers tied(得同样的分数) with 50 points－a failing score. Drivers with 50 points or less were rated(被评价为) “poorly informed” by the judges.
Here are some of the test results:
(1) Are men better informed drivers than women?－Yes. Men averaged 52 points. Women got average of 49.
(2) Are older drivers better informed than younger drivers?－No. Drivers under 26 averaged 52 points. Drivers from 27 to 45 averaged 51. Driver over 45 failed with 48 points on average.
(3) Does education make a difference?－Yes. College graduates averaged 52 points. High school graduates averaged 50. Those without high school diplomas(文凭) got 48. And people who had taken driver education courses scored an average of 53 points－three more than those who hadn’t.
(4) Does driving experience make a difference?－Yes. Drivers with three or more years’ experience averaged 51 points. Drivers with less experience averaged 49.
Here are some surprising facts brought out by the test:
(1)More than one out of three drivers did not know that a blinking(闪烁) red light means a full stop. (2)Three out of ten drivers did not know that an octagonal (eight-sided) sign means stop.
(3)More than two of three drivers did not know what to do when being “tailgated”(危险地，紧接另一辆驶) The answer: slow down, drive to the right, and let the driver behind pass.
The results of the test were turned over to the National Safety Council. They will help future safety planning.The author’s purpose is to ___________.
| A．prove that men are better drivers than women | B．give you safe driving tips(提示) |
| C．tell you the results of a national drivers test. | D．urge you to get an education. |
From the information in this article, you could say that _________.
| A．older drivers are better informed than younger drivers |
| B．experience makes difference among drivers |
| C．most drivers failed the test |
| D．most people don’t know what a blinking red light means |
Which of the following as a group was rated “poorly informed” by the judges?
| A．Men. | B．High school graduate drivers. |
| C．Drivers from 27 to 45 years of age. | D．Drivers with 3 or more years’ experience. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Men are better informed than women. |
| B．Education makes no difference in the pass rate of the drivers. |
| C．Chicago drivers are the best informed drivers in America. |
| D．The test results will be used as a guide for future safety planning. |
When the TV viewer turns on his set, what sort of programs does he have to choose from? You might think there would be more programs devoted to entertainment than to anything else, but that’s not the case. In most countries, fewer than 20% of broadcasting hours are devoted to entertainment. U.S. figures are high----34.8% , and the unloving Canadians are even higher with 44%. Except Canada and Italy, all countries give more broadcasting time to education than to either information (news , documentaries and so on) or entertainment programs. Of course, few educational broadcasts take place during peak viewing times. In Japan though , more than 60%of broadcasting time is taken up with education of one kind of anther----just another example of the businesslike Japanese philosophy. In the U.K., the figure is 56.4% . the Italians have fewer educational programs than anyone else. They don’t go in for entertainment either. Only about ten percent of viewing time is devoted to dramas and serials, quiz shows, music, sports etc. You will find more news information programs on Italian TV than anything else. That’s understandable in a country experiencing social and political changes. Italians rely on TV to tell them what’s going on---and events are happening almost too fast to follow. The percentage of time the U.S. devoted to news and documentary programs is much smaller. After education, most TV time is given to entertainment. Many of these programs are shown around the world.Based on this passage, the greatest percentage of TV broadcasting hours to educational is in __.
| A．Japan | B．Italy | C．Canada | D．the United States |
More news information programs are broadcast on Italian TV than anywhere else because the Italians ___.
| A．are interested in what is happening in the world. |
| B．Like to follow the changes that are going on in their social life |
| C．Prefer to learn news information on TV rather than in newspapers |
| D．Expect TV to tell them the latest news about what is going on in their country |
So far as the broadcasting hours devoted to entertainment , which of the following is true?
| A．The Japanese figure is the highest in the world. |
| B．The U.S. figure is smaller than the U. K. figure |
| C．The U.K. figure is second to the Japanese figure |
| D．The Canadian figure is higher than that of any other country. |
In the United States, ____.
| A．TV programs are shown for world audience to watch |
| B．Most of TV broadcasting hours are give to entertainment |
| C．Educational programs are shown during peak viewing times |
| D．TV broadcasting hours devoted to education are more than those devoted to entertainment |
A number of times Rosemary edged closer to Gordon , meaning to take his arm, but he edged away from her. She thought that she had offended him deeply, and that he was disappointed because she had pushed him away. She would have apologized if he had given her half a chance. But as a matter of fact, he was scarcely thinking of this any longer. It was the money business that was troubling him now. And the fact was that he would soon have to confess it. What nonsense it made of all he had said! Presently she stopped him, and swung him round to face her. “Gordon, why won’t you speak to me?” she said. “Are you still angry with me for what happened just now?”
“No, I was never angry with you. You’re not to blame. Something else has been worrying me all the way along, I’ve only eight pence left. I had just enough money for today when we started out, but that dinner bill upset everything. Can you lend me some money?’
Rosemary was amazed. “What does it matter if you’ve only eight pence left? How can you let yourself be worried by a thing like that? As though I objected to lending you money, aren’t I always telling you that I want to pay for myself when we go out together?’
“Yes, and you know how I hate you paying.”
“Oh, how silly you are.” She said. “Do you think there’s anything to be ashamed of in having no money?”
Gordon’s face went bright pink. “Of course there is ! It’s the only thing in the world there is to be ashamed of. I can’t be a complete human being—I don’t feel a human being –unless I’ve got money in my pocket.”What gave Rosemary the idea that she had hurt Gordon’s feelings deeply?
| A．He didn’t say he was sorry. |
| B．He pushed her away when she tried to take his arm. |
| C．He didn’t say he was sorry. |
| D．He wouldn’t let her touch him. |
Rosemary made him look at her because ______.
| A．she wanted to ask him a question | B．she wanted to see his face |
| C．she was angry with him | D．he had been rude |
Gordon felt that if he asked rosemary to lend him some money _____.
| A．he would lose some of his self-respect | B．she would refuse to |
| C．he would have to confess his loss | D．she would be angry |
It is clear that Gordon had not intended to _____.
| A．tell her he had a little money left | B．accept any money from her |
| C．blame her for making him angry | D．have such an expensive dinner |
Friedrich Dobl, a Yugoslav working in Germany, was fed up with traffic jams. At long weekends and holiday times when he wanted to get him quickly he always found himself behind hundreds of other cars moving slowly along the notorious foreign workers’ route through Germany and Austria.
How easy it all was for police and emergency services. A siren, a flashing light? And like magic everyone was out the way. Going home from work one night he passed a garage. And there in front of him was the answer to his problems. An old ambulance(救护车) was for sale. The red cross had been removed. But not the flashing light, and the siren. He tried the light. It flashed magnificently. He tried the siren. That too sounded impressive. He bought the ambulance and opened up for himself a dream world of motoring. It began early in the morning, all his luggage in the back of the ambulance and motorway in Germany looking reasonably clear. Soon, as always, a long line of traffic appeared ahead. He switched on the flashing light and set off the siren. Cars swiftly slowed and pulled off the fast lane. Other cars stopped and drivers waved him ahead to an open road all his own. In record time he crossed the border into Austria. The big bluff was working. Police even waved him through the confusion caused by an accident.
But then the Yugoslav made his big mistake. Until then he had only stopped for petrol. Now he was driving past a real accident, lights flashing , to late realize that it was not another traffic jam as he assumed. They stopped him, and after hearing the story of his ride across two countries fined him 12. 5 pounds.At long weekends and holidays Friedrich Dobl used to ____.
| A．drive home in Germany |
| B．get caught in terrible traffic jams |
| C．meet other foreign workers |
| D．get to the place where he worked by a special quick route |
Why did he decide to buy the ambulance?
| A．because he had always wanted one |
| B．because he wanted to resell it at a higher price |
| C．because he liked the siren and the flashing light |
| D．because he knew that other traffic would get clear of the way for an ambulance. |
The red cross had been removed ____.
| A．but he soon put up a new one |
| B．because the vehicle did not look like an ambulance any more |
| C．so he asked the garage to paint another one on |
| D．but the siren and the flashing light still worked |
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to Drive quickly | B．How to Avoid accidents |
| C．A quick Way Home? By An Ambulance | D．A Safe way Home? Non-Stop |
Sherwood Forest Farm Park
Lamb Pens Farm
Edwinstowe, Mansfield
Tel: 01623 823558
www. Sherwoodforestfarmpark. Co. uk
Lovely traditional breeds of farm animals, horses, wallabies, fallow deer, water buffalo and Kune pigs are waiting to greet everyone. Play areas, pets’ corner, bird garden, a tearoom and a gift shop make this the ideal venue for the whole family.
Open daily 3rd April ---17th October 10. 30 am---5. 15 pm.
Just off A6075 between Edwinstowe and Mansfield Woodhouse
Admission: Adult: £5.00, Child: £ 3.50
Under 3 FREE
(All children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult)
Family Ticket 2 Adult +2 Children £ 15.00
Season Tickets Adult £18.00 Child £12.00
Visit as many as you like during the season
Excellent reductions for pre-booked groups/schoolWhen you are in the park, you can not ____.
| A．watch fallow deer, horses, buffalos and pigs |
| B．hear birds’ singing |
| C．buy all kinds of presents for your friends |
| D．see amusing movies you like |
Which of the following statements is true according to the ad?
| A．If a tourist wants to learn something about the park, he can go on the internet. |
| B．If you have season tickets, you can visit the park at any time. |
| C．You’ll be able to enter the park before 10.00 |
| D．A child under 6 must not enter the park. |
A family of four----father, mother and two children who are seven and two, will visit the park, how much will they pay?
| A．£15.00 | B．£13.50 | C．£8.50 | D．£17.00 |
If you want to go there with your classmates and book the tickets ahead of time, _____.
| A．you will get free tickets | B．you will be charged much less |
| C．two tickets will be free | D．the ticket price is as usual |
PERFORMANCES
Keep in the air:The Chaoyang Theater is one of Beijing Theaters to present acrobatic programs all year round.
Top acrobatic artists invited from all over the country perform for Chinese and foreign tourists.The program features trick cycling,leaping through hoops and Chinese magic tricks.Some of the artists have won prizes in international competitions.
Time:7:15p.m.Daily
Place:36,Dongsanhuan Belu.Chaoyang District
Tel:6507---2421 6507---1818
Use your head:Green head is a new drama given by a group of young Chinese actors.It’s a reworking of American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous novel The Scarlet Letter .It describes the heroine’s great courage in finding the true love against a backdrop of disapproval.
Time:7:15p.m. until March 5th,except Mondays
Place:China Children’s Theater
Tel:6603---7255 6603---7265
Mix and match:Story of Puppets tells a fairy.Zixia,who looks for true love in the human world.After watching a puppet play Peony Pavdion ,she thinks it must be true love in reality,so she uses magic to turn the puppet characters into the humans,wanting to fall in love with the puppet hero.But things don’t go as she planned.
Li Liuyi,the director of the play has made several successful attempts to join different traditional operas together in one play.This time he combines Peking Opera,Kunqu Opera,Pingju Opera and an orchestral accompaniment,using the structure of modern drama.
Time:7:30 p.m until March 10th,except Mondays
Place:Small Playhouse of Beijing People’s Art Theater
Peking Opera:The Peking Opera Troupe will give two performances at the Chang’an Grand Theater.
Each performance consists of two classical plays. One is Wenxi(a play focus on singing and dancing);the other is Wuxi(a play full of acrobatic dancing).
The first night will be The crossroad and Presenting a pearl of the Rainbow Bridge.And the second night will see the performance of The Godess of Heaven Scatters Flowers and Havoc in Heaven.
Time:7:30p.m. February 27th ,28th
Place:Chang’an Grand Theater
Tel:86531043From the ads we can learn that______.
| A．Story of Puppets is played held in China Children’s Theater |
| B．all the artists who have won prizes will perform magic tricks |
| C．on March 5th there will be two plays for us to choose |
| D．the artists in the Peking Opera Troupe are from all over the country |
If a tourist wants to see a performance on March 15th,he can call______to book a ticket.
| A．8653—1043 | B．6525—0123 | C．6603—7255 | D．6507—1818 |
Which of the following statements is true according to the ads?
| A．The director of the Story of Puppets combines different operas in it. |
| B．Green Hat is based on a famous novel acted by some American artists. |
| C．Top Acrobatic artists will present their performances around our country. |
| D．The Peking Opera Troupe will give two performances with the same plays. |