Preparing Cities for Robot Cars
The possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurist's dream, years away from materializing in the real world. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars, and for companies to operate driverless taxi services. California, it should be noted, isn't leading the way here. Companies have been testing their vehicles in cities across the country. It's hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.
While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverless vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared.
Do we want to copy - or even worsen - the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. They tolerate long, slow journeys to and from work on packed highways because they can work, entertain themselves or sleep on the ride, which encourages urban spread. They take their driverless car to an appointment and set the empty vehicle to circle the building to avoid paying for parking. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transport - an unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing(叫车) services.
A study from the University of California at Davis suggested that replacing petrol-powered private cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could reduce carbon emissions from transportation 80% and cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基础设施) and operations 40% by 2050. Fewer emissions and cheaper travel sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fieldedby ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(责任与维护问题). But driverless car ownership could increase as the prices drop and more people become comfortable with the technology.
Policymakers should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesn't extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.
（1）According to the author, attention should be paid to how driverless cars can __________.
| A． |
help deal with transportation-related problems |
| B． |
provide better services to customers |
| C． |
cause damage to our environment |
| D． |
make some people lose jobs |
（2）As for driverless cars, what is the author's major concern?
| A． |
Safety. |
| B． |
Side effects. |
| C． |
Affordability. |
| D． |
Management. |
（3）What does the underlined word ＂fielded＂ in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A． |
Employed. |
| B． |
Replaced. |
| C． |
Shared. |
| D． |
Reduced. |
（4）What is the author's attitude to the future of self-driving cars?
| A． |
Doubtful. |
| B． |
Positive. |
| C． |
Disapproving. |
| D． |
Sympathetic. |
Language experts say that spoken English was almost the same in the American colonies and Britain two hundred years ago.Americans began to change the sound of their speech after the Revolutionary War in seventeenseventysix. They wanted to make it different to separate themselves from the British in language，in the same way they separated themselves from the British government.
Some American leaders proposed major changes in the language.Benjamin Franklin wanted a whole new system of spelling.His reforms were not accepted. But his ideas did influence others.One was Noah Webster.
Webster wrote language books for schools.He believed the United States should have a system of its own language as well as government.Webster published a dictionary of the American language in eighteentwentyeight. It established rules for speaking and spelling the words used in American English.
Webster wrote that all words should be said in the order of the letters that spell them.This is why Americans use the letters“e-r”to end many words instead of the British“r-e.”He spelled the word“center，”for example，“c-e-n-t-e-r，”instead of the British“c-e-n-t-r-e.”
Webster’s rule for saying every part of a word made American English easier for foreign settlers to learn.They learned to say“waistcoat，”for example，the way it is spelled instead of the British“weskit.”
The different languages of many people who came to the United States also helped make American and British English different.Many of their foreign words and expressions became part of English as Americans speak them.
Sometimes Americans and British people do not understand each other because of different word meanings. For example，the word“jumper”in Britain means a sweater.In the United States，it is a dress.The British word“brolly” is an“umbrella”in America.And the British call potato chips“crisps”．All of these differences led British writer George Bernard Shaw to joke that Britain and America are two countries separated by the same language!What does the underlined word“it”in the first paragraph refer to?
| A．Separating themselves from the British in language. |
| B．Written English in America. |
| C．Spoken English in America. |
| D．Spoken English in Britain. |
Why did American want their language to differ from British English?
| A．Because they found British English hard to speak. |
| B．Because they found British English hard to spell. |
| C．Because they wanted to have their own language and government. |
| D．Because foreign settlers wanted them to change their language. |
Why do Americans use the word“meter”instead of the word“metre”？
| A．Because Benjamin Franklin didn’t like the word“metre”． |
| B．Because the word“meter”was absorbed from other languages. |
| C．Because Webster thought the word should be said in order of the letters that are spelt. |
| D．Because Webster thought American English should be made easier for foreign settlers to learn. |
Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons why English began to change in America?
| A．The government leaders. |
| B．Noah Webster. |
| C．Immigration to America. |
| D．The difficulty Americans had in understanding the British. |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Noah Webster’s simplifying the spelling of English words. |
| B．Differences and similarities between British and American English. |
| C．The reasons why American English was formed and its development. |
| D．Varieties of English throughout the world. |
阅读理解
When I was sixteen years old，I made my first visit to the United States.It wasn’t the first time I had been abroad.Like most English children I learned French at school.And I had often been to France，so I was used to speaking a foreign language to people who didn’t understand French.But when I went to America I was really looking forward to having a nice easy holiday without any language problems.
How wrong I was！The misunderstandings began at the airport.I was looking for a public telephone to give my American friend Danny a call and tell her that I had arrived.A friendly old man saw me looking lost and asked if he could help me.
“Yes，”I said，“I want to give my friend a ring.”
“Well，that’s nice，”he said.“Are you getting married？But aren’t you a bit young？”
“Who’s talking about marriage？”I replied.“I only want to give my friend a ring to tell her I’ve arrived.Can you tell me where there’s a phone box？”
“Oh！”he said.“There’s a phone downstairs.”
When at last we met，Danny explained the misunderstandings to me.
“Don’t worry，”she said to me.“I had so many difficulties at first.There are lots of words which the Americans use differently in meaning from the British.You’ll soon get used to all the funny things they say.Most of the time，British and American people understand each other！”The writer thought ________ in America.
| A．he wouldn’t have any language difficulties |
| B．he would not understand the Americans |
| C．the Americans might not understand him |
| D．he would have difficulty at the airport |
The writer wanted to ________.
| A．buy a ring for his friend |
| B．make a call to his friend |
| C．go to the telephone company |
| D．see his friend off |
From the passage we can see that “give sb.a ring”________．
| A．means “call sb.” to the old man |
| B．means the same in America as in England |
| C．has two different meanings |
| D．means “be going to get married” in England |
In the last paragraph the word “they” refers to ________.
| A．the old man and the boy |
| B．the Americans |
| C．the British |
| D．the French |
Which is RIGHT according to the passage?
| A．American and British English are so different that they can’t understand each other. |
| B．Although American and British English are different，they mostly can understand each other. |
| C．Danny isn’t used to the funny things Americans say. |
| D．The old man couldn’t understand what “I” meant. |
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。
If women are mercilessly exploited year after year，they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion，they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it，only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way waste hours of their time altering (改变) the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened；necklines are lowered or raised，and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth，comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort，as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day，or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion，the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes，one wonder，reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability？Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability？That is for you to decide.Designers and big stores always make money________.
| A．by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing |
| B．by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry |
| C．because they are able to predict new fashions for the coming season |
| D．because they attach great importance to the quality of women's clothing |
To the writer，that women alter their old fashioned dresses is seen as________.
| A．a waste of money |
| B．an expression of taste |
| C．a waste of time |
| D．an expression of creativity |
According to the passage，which of the following statements is true?
| A．The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society. |
| B．The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of characters. |
| C．Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women. |
| D．New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women. |
By saying “the conclusions to be drawn are obvious”，the writer means that________.
| A．women are better able to put up with discomfort |
| B．men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion |
| C．men are also exploited greatly by fashion de signers |
| D．women's inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at |
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。
Celebrities(名人) have become a powerful influence on some people because of their social position and their economic situation.
First，some people admire and imitate stars because they allow themselves to be influenced by the media. Television，radio，and magazines invade(侵扰) the lives of audience with a variety of shows，information，and publications about stars and their lives. For instance，Britney Spears has become the target of paparazzi(狗仔队)．In May，Britney appeared at the front page of the most popular magazines revealing that she married her best friend in Vegas，Nevada. Media also invade stars' lives because reporters know they get high profits from readers who buy and follow their favorite artists' news.
Second，some mad audience imitate their celebrities for their lack of confidence. Some people who are shy and lack personality may find that imitating others will cause a good impression. For instance，my cousin Jenny，who lacks a social life because of her introverted(内向的) personality，believes that acting and dressing like Jennifer Lopez will make her popular in high school.
Finally，several fans of stars imitate them because of peer(同龄人) pressure. Since my niece's girlfriends formed an Antonio Banderas' fan club，she had also joined the group. Although she wasn't a huge fan of his，now she collects most of Banderas' possessions. In fact，when I asked Arianna，my niece，why she was part of Banderas' fan club，she replied with a doubtful tone that she did not wish to be rejected by the other teens.
In conclusion，it is true that celebrities play spectacular roles in their performances in Hollywood，which entertains many people all over the world；however，modern celebrities influence the audience to the point where their fans admire and try to imitate their lives.What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．Why people are influenced by celebrities. |
| B．The harmful influence of celebrities. |
| C．What kind of people are influenced by celebrities. |
| D．How to avoid the influence of celebrities. |
We can infer from Paragraph 2 that ________.
| A．media are on the side of stars |
| B．stars know how to take advantage of media |
| C．media can give wrong information about stars |
| D．media invade stars' lives for their own good |
Jenny acts and dresses like Jennifer Lopez because ______________.
| A．she admires Jennifer Lopez's personality |
| B．she wants to become famous too |
| C．she wants to change her own personality |
| D．she lacks selfconfidence |
Arianna joined the Antonio Banderas' fan club to ________.
| A．seek encouragement from the star |
| B．be accepted by other teens |
| C．become a real fan of the star |
| D．learn more about the star |
The author of the passage probably believes that ________.
| A．it's easy for people to resist the influence of celebrities |
| B．all young people are easily influenced by celebrities |
| C．it's no good for people to imitate celebrities blindly |
| D．people can improve their personality by imitating their favorite stars |
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。
A public high school in the rural town of Boonsboro，Maryland，offers a special program recently. Top students in the ninth and tenth grades can attend single－sex classes for math，science，English and social studies.
The aim is to help teenagers keep their mind on their work by keeping males and females apart. Rebecca Brown chooses the students for what Boonsboro High School calls the Academy. “What we really want to do is take that top group of kids and take them to the very highest level they can achieve here，so that they’re prepared for college，” she said. They need high marks and test scores and strong teacher recommendations. They also need to be involved in activities.
Michael Bair has been at Boonsboro High School for twenty years and directs the Academy. His ninth－grade English class for boys centers on books that he believes boys find interesting. “The novels they’re reading now，are very manly novels. They’re novels that deal with the arrogance(傲慢)of man and the pride of man.” One of those books，for example，is “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London. This classic story tells of a dog stolen from his home and sold to work as a sled dog in Canada’s Klondike Gold Rush.
On this day，the students are working in small groups. Vincent and Logan explain why they're drawing pictures that relate to the story. Vincent said，“The main character，Buck，gets abducted(绑架) and they send him off to the Yukon in a train.So I’m drawing part of the story where he’s in the train. It gets you to visualize the setting of the story and gets you to think more about what’s going on in the story，the important events of the story.”“ Instead of just doing work sheets about it，this is a lot more fun，” Logan added happily.
Morgan Van Fleet likes being in the Academy. She says boys and girls act differently when they are together in a classroom. “To me，it almost seems like it’s hindering(妨碍)? your chances at developing yourself because you’re more focused on ‘Oh，I wish they’d shut up. Oh，what do they think of me？’ instead of focusing on what’s the homework or what’s going on in this class，what’s the lesson.”
【选项】 What is the purpose of the text?
| A．To introduce. |
| B．To persuade. |
| C．To instruct. |
| D．To educate. |
In Rebecca Brown's opinion，________.
| A．any student in Boonsboro High School can take part in the program |
| B．students in the program are expected to get well prepared for college |
| C．students can all achieve their highest levels in the program |
| D．students don't have to join in the activities |
The underlined word “visualize” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”．
| A．pay a visit to |
| B．form a picture of |
| C．take a look at |
| D．have a gift for |
What can we conclude from the text?
| A．Michael Bair considers it unsuitable for boys to read the book “The Call of the Wild”． |
| B．Jack London is a main character in the book “The Call of the Wild”． |
| C．Vincent thinks that his drawings can help understand the novel better. |
| D．Morgan Van Fleet thinks the program does no good to her. |
The text is probably taken from ________.
| A．a school's introduction | B．a teacher's diary |
| C．a headmaster's speech | D．a news report |