The Netherlands on Monday introduced its first-ever intelligent bicycle, fitted with electronic devices to help bring down the high accident rate among elderly cyclists in the bicycle-mad country.
Developed for the government by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), the intelligent bicycle, runs on electricity. A commercial-available bicycle is expected to be on the market in the next two years and should sell for between 1, 700 to 3, 200 euros per bicycle.
The devices on the bike are linked through an onboard computer with a vibrating (震动的) warning system fitted in the bicycle's saddle and handlebars to warn cyclists of the coming danger.
The saddle vibrates when other cyclists approach from behind, while, the handlebars do the same when barriers appear ahead.
"Accidents often happen when cyclists look behind them or get a fright when they are passed at high speed," said Maurice Kwakkernaat, one of TNO's research scientists involved in the project. "The onboard system technology has already been at work in the car industry," he said.
''More and more elderly people are using a bicycle, not only for short distances, but also for longer distances," Dutch Environment and Infrastructure Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told AFP. "This type of bicycle is truly needed in the Netherlands because it will help us bring down the number of elderly people who are injured every year and allow them to continue to enjoy cycling," she said.
In the Netherlands, bicycles outnumber the population of 17 million by at least one million and there are some 25,000 km of bicycle path in the country. Those statistics are set to grow as more and more people take to two-wheeled transport, leading to an increased risk of injury.
Last year, 184 cyclists died in the country, of which 124, or 67%, were older than 65, according to the Central Statistics Office. The year before, 200 cyclists died, the majority of victims also being elderly.
The current model weighs 25 kilograms but researchers are working on making the onboard systems smaller.
The intelligent bicycle is aimed to ________.
| A．protect the environment |
| B．help reduce traffic pressure |
| C．popularize the use of bicycles |
| D．improve safety for elderly cyclists |
Which part of the intelligent bicycle will vibrate when another cyclist was suddendly
found ahead ?
| A．The handlebars. | B．The wheels. |
| C．The saddle. | D．The onboard computer. |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．the elderly ride bicycles wherever they go |
| B．the accident rate among elderly cyclists is high |
| C．the number of elderly cyclists is decreasing |
| D．the elderly are planning to give up cycling |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Test Bicycle | B．Elderly Cyclists |
| C．A Smart Bicycle | D．A Bicycle-mad Country |
第三部分:阅读理解（共20小题；每题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。
It happened to me recently that I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father and how it had changed my views of the current US President． The person I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words,“a wonderfully written book ．”However, he then proceeded to talk about Mr Obama in a way that suggested he had no idea of his background at all． I sensed that I was talking to a book liar．
And it seems that he is not the only one． Clearly two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t ． In The World Book Day survey, Dreams From My Father is at number 9． The survey lists top ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading． As I’m not one to lie too often, I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire ten books． But I am pleased to say that I have read the book at number one, George Orwell’s 1984． I think it’s absolutely outstanding．
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to impress someone they were speaking to ． This could be difficult if the conversation became more in-depth !
The World Book Day survey also has some other interesting information in it． It shows that many people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens and so on. But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, they named JK Rowling, Jilly Cooper, and Stephen King (ah, the big sellers, in other words)． Forty-one percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story．
So which books have you lied about reading—if any—and which is your favourite?
1．The main reason why people lie about reading is to
A．make fun of the listener B．impress the listener
C．please the listener D．interest the listener
2．The underlined word“proceeded”in the passage probably means“ ”
A．wanted B．happened C．continued D．stopped
3．What does The World Book Day survey show?
A．Nearly half of the people surveryed didn’t read through a whole classical book．
B．People don’t like Dreams From My Father and George Orwell’s 1984
C．Few people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen．
D．People usually enjoy reading books by Charles Dickens．
4．What is the best title for the passage?
A．Are You A Book Liar? B．Readers Are All Liars
C．World Book Day D．Dreams From My Father,
E
The motor vehicle has killed and disabled more people in its brief history than any bomb or weapon ever invented . Much of the blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others . So the massacre (大屠杀) on the road may be regarded as a social problem .
In fact , the enemies of society on wheels are rather harmless people just ordinary people acting carelessly , you might say . But it is a principle both of law and common morality that carelessness is no excuse when one’s actions could bring death or damage to others . A minority of the killers go even beyond carelessness to total negligence (疏忽).
Researchers have estimated that as many as 80 percent of all automobile accidents can be attributed to the psychological condition of the driver . Emotional upsets can distort drivers’ reactions , slow their judgment , and blind them to dangers that might otherwise be evident . The experts warn that it is important for every driver to make a conscious effort to keep one’s emotion under control .
Yet the irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to drivers . Street walkers regularly violate (违反) traffic regulations , they are at fault in most vehicle walker accidents , and many cyclists even believe that they are not subject to the basic rules of the road .
Significant legal advances have been made towards safer driving in the past few years . Safety standards for vehicle have been raised both at the point of manufacture (制造业) and through periodic road-worthiness inspections . In addition , speed limits have been lowered. Due to these measures , the accident rate has decreased . But the accident experts still worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers behave . The only real and lasting solution , say the experts , is to convince people that driving is a skilled task requiring constant care and concentration . Those who fail to do all these things present a threat to those with whom they share the road .
1．What is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage ?
A．To show that the motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention .
B．To promote understanding between careless drivers and street walkers .
C．To discuss traffic problems and propose possible solutions .
D．To warn drivers of the importance of safe driving .
2．Why does the author mention the psychological condition of the driver in Paragraph Three ?
A．To give an example of the various reasons for road accidents .
B．To show how important it is for drivers to be emotionally healthy .
C．To show some of the inaccurate estimations by researchers .
D．To illustrate the hidden tensions in the course of driving
3．The following is mentioned as being responsible for the road accidents except .
A．careless bicycle riders B．mindless people walking in the street
C．irresponsible drivers D．irresponsible manufacturers of automobiles
4．Which of the following best reflects the author’s attitude toward a future without traffic accident problems ?
A．Doubtful yet still longing for . B．Happy and rather confident .
C．Surprised and very pleased . D．Disappointed and deeply worried .
“Long time no see” is a very interesting sentence . When I first read this sentence from an American friend’s email, I laughed . I thought it was a perfect example of Chinglish .
Obviously , it is a word-by-world literal translation of the Chinese greetings with a ruled English grammar and structure ! Later on, my friend told me that it is a standard American greeting , I was too thrilled to believe her . Her words could not convince me at all . So I did a research on google .com . To my surprise , there are over 60 thousand web pages containing “ Long time no see.” This sentence has been widely used in emails , letters , newspapers, movies , books , or any other possible place . Though it is sort of informal, it is part of the language that Americans use daily . Ironically , if you type this phrase in Microsoft Word , the soft-ware will tell you that the grammar needs to be corrected .
Nobody knows the origin of this Chinglish sentence . Some people believe that it came from Charlie Chan’s movies . In the 1930s, Hollywood moviemakers successfully created a world-wide famous Chinese detective named “Charlie Chan” on wide screens . Detective Chan likes to teach Americans some Chinese wisdom by quoting Confucius . “Long time no see” was his trademark . Soon after Charlie Chan , “Long time no see” became a popular phrase in the real world with thanks to the popularity of these movies .
Some scholars refer America as a huge pot of stew (染缸). All kinds of culture are mixed in the stew together , and they change the color and taste of each other . American Chinese , though a minority ethnic group in the United States , is also contributing some changes to the stew !Language is usually the first thing to be influenced in the mixed stew .
You can have some other examples than adoptions from Chinese , such as pizza from Italian , susi from Japanese , and déjá vu from French etc . There is a long list ! Americans do not just simply borrow something from others . They will modify it and make it their own , so you would not be surprised to find a tofu and peanut butter hamburger in a restaurant , or to buy a bottle of iced Chinese green tea with honey in a grocery store . Since Americans appreciate Chinese culture more and more nowadays , I believe more Chinese words will become American English in the future . In this way the American stew keeps adding richness and flavor .
1．The writer himself felt surprised at .
A．reading “Long time no see”
B．knowing the expression is standard American English
C．seeing the literal translation of the expression
D．finding out Americans use the expression every day
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2．According to the passage , it can be inferred that .
A．Charlie Chan made the phrase “Long time no see”Want to find a job ? Now read the following advertisements .
FAIRMONT HOTEL
Five waiters and Ten Waitresses
—Age under 22
—At least high school graduate
—Gook—looking ; men at least 1.72 meters tall and women at least 1.65
—Those knowing foreign languages favoured
—Paid 1,600—2,200 dollars per month
One secretary
—Aged under 30
—Female fovoured
—Good at writing and skilled at computer
If interested , call 465-4768 or write to :
Room 0825, Fairmont Hotel
Mr. Jack Hundris
567 Wood Street , Sand Markers , 78003
Fax：6954828
WILSON BOOKSTORE
Accountant
—Aged between 25 and 40
—With an experience of at least two years
—With a degree and an accountant certificate (证书)
—Paid 3,000—4,000 dollars monthly
—With a practical knowledge of computer
Salesclerk
—Basic education of 12 years or more
—Good at computer
—Paid 1,800—2,400 dollars monthly
Tel：447-4398
Fax：3485269
1．If you don’t know how to use a computer , you can jut apply for the position as .
A．a secretary B．a waiter or waitress
C．an accountant D．a salesclerk
2．If you want to get the position of accountant in Wilson Bookstore , you have to satisfy the following conditions except .
A．being a woman B．knowing well how to use a computer
C．having been an accountant D．having an accountant certificate
3．If you want to try for a job in Fairmont Hotel , you .
|
A．have to be a woman and know foreign languages
B．should be a university graduateB
The first reality TV show in the world was called Expedition Robinson and it was shown in Sweden in 1997. Half the population of the country watched the final event and a new kind of TV program was born . Two years later in Holland , the first series of Big Brother was filmed . Again ,it was a great success and the final program was watched by 15 million people . Now more than 20 countries around the world have Big Brother or Expedition Robinson on their TV screens . The ordinary people who take part in the programs are known by millions of people in their own countries and reality TV has become big ,big business .
For the TV producers , reality TV is a dream to come true because many of the programs cost nothing to make . At some point , the television viewers are asked to telephone the program to vote or to apply to take part in the show . It is the cost of these telephone calls that pays for the shows . One of the most popular shows is Pop Idol . In the show a group of attractive young people are made into pop stars . TV viewers vote for their favorite person on the show . The winner makes a record and millions of copies of the record are sold . His or her pictures are published on the covers of magazines or on the front pages of newspapers , and then , they are quickly forgotten .
But not everyone is happy about reality TV. In Portugal , two TV channels got into trouble because they showed too much of the personal lives of the people in the shows . In France , reality TV is called “rubbish TV” and the TV studios of Big Brother were attacked three times in one week . In Greece , Big Brother was described as “against human rights and civilization”.
1．Those who take part in the reality TV shows are usually .
A．common people B．pop TV stars
C．attractive people D．famous film stars
2．Who would pay for the cost of the reality TV shows according to the passage ?
A．TV producers who make reality TV shows .
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B．TV actors who take part in reality TV shows .
C．TV viewers who telephone reality TV shows .