Since Tesla founder Elon Musk published his White Paper On The Fifth Mode of Transportation in 2013, the concept of “Hyperloop” has caught the imaginations of engineers and investors across the world. Simply put, it is just an idea that vehicles filled with passengers or goods are sent through a nearly airless pipe at airliner-speeds of up to 1,223 kilometers per hour.
Critics(批评者) say Hyperloop may only amounts to a pipe dream that would be technically and financially impossible to achieve.
They argue that there are too many safety questions that need to be answered. What if the airless tube breaks? What if the train somehow crashes through the tube? What if earthquakes occur? Such events will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to be engineered into the system, especially when a vehicle runs at such high speeds in a hundreds-of-miles-long airless tube.
Turning will also be extremely difficult for the high-speed hyperloop. They say that a hyperloop vehicle would need approximately 10 kilometers for a 90-degree turn at 965 kilometers per hour. This may determine how useful the hyperloop can be.
It's still unclear how much it would cost to build a hyperloop, but surely it would be in the billions of dollars. Financial documents leaked from Virgin Hyperloop in 2016 suggested its Hyperloop One would cost between $ 135 million and $ 193 million per kilometer ---significantly more than high-speed rail. Even with public funding, the ticket prices will be unacceptably high for passengers.
Last week, Virgin Hyperloop, one of the leading companies devoted to realizing Elon Musk's pipe dream, announced that for the first time it has conducted a test of its Hyperloop One with human passengers and set a new speed record; 386 kilometers per hour. It is aiming to hit 643 kilometers per hour for the next run.
“Hyperloop One wouldn't have existed unless we put it here. It is going to be that spot where the public can look and say, ‘that was a really big idea,’” said Giegel, co-founder of Virgin Hyperloop, “’but they came, they did it, and they made it a reality.’”
1. What can we know about “Hyperloop”?| A．It is a high-speed car designed by Elon Musk's Tesla. |
| B．It is a new idea for the next generation transportation. |
| C．It is a passenger train running in an airless pipe at high speed. |
| D．It is a spaceship running at a speed of 1,223 kilometers per hour. |
| A．Its safety. | B．Its speed. |
| C．Its low building costs. | D．Its cheap ticket prices. |
| A．386 kilometers per hour. | B．643 kilometers per hour. |
| C．965 kilometers per hour. | D．1, 223 kilometers per hour. |
| A．Human passengers on Hyperloop One | B．The ordinary people. |
| C．Virgin Hyperloop founders and engineers. | D．Visitors at Virgin Hyperloop. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The Chinese highspeed rails have a quality all on its own, because it's so massive. There are more than twice as many highspeed trains in China as the rest of the world combined.
Firstly, China's technology on building the railway is leading the rest of the world and there is no sign that any other country could surpass China's position in the near future. Secondly, China's trains are based on Japanese, German and French models. At last, the scale of Chinese highspeed train is unthinkable to other countries which has highspeed train network. I had my first opportunity to ride the highspeed trains last week when I had a business meeting in Zhengzhou. As someone who grew up with a disdain for public transportation, I was dreading the experience. I pushed hard to fly, but was told that it would be much better if I took the train. I had traveled on an Amtrak train before in the US, and hated how slow it was and how many stops there were. Chinese highspeed trains are on a different level.
First, when I say they are highspeed, I mean they are highspeed. The trains are clean and the seats are huge. There are ample power outlets and you can't even feel how fast the train is moving. If there were no windows, I wouldn't be able to tell when we were stopped or when we were traveling at 300 km/h—it is that smooth. The terminal in Zhengzhou looked like you could fit a million people in it. It had shops and a food court and the trains would silently pull in and out of the station perfectly on schedule.
I'm traveling again this week by train and I'm excited. The highspeed trains are incredible.
1. Which of the following is the characteristic of China highspeed rails？| A．China has the most highspeed trains in the world. |
| B．No other country will surpass China in building the highspeed railway. |
| C．China makes highspeed trains all by itself. |
| D．China ranks first in the highspeed rails development from the very beginning. |
| A．The author likes to take public transportation. |
| B．The author decided to take the trainat first. |
| C．The author expected his first train experience in China. |
| D．America falls behind China in railway development. |
| A．The train run very fast and smoothly. |
| B．It is convenient to get the cellphone charged on the train. |
| C．Zhengzhou station is very huge. |
| D．Zhengzhou station is an important terminal. |
| A．The author's first train experience in China. |
| B．The advancement of China's highspeed trains. |
| C．The highspeed railway should be greatly developed in the world. |
| D．The importance of public transportation. |
【推荐2】When you are in Mérida of Mexico, you can take any of the transportation ways.
On foot
Once you are in the city center, getting around Mérida on foot is very convenient. Most of the main attractions are centrally located, and you’ll have a hard time getting lost thanks to the city’s thoughtful construction.
By bike
If you’d rather explore the city on two wheels, do so at your own risk. Bikers will be especially pleased on Sundays, when some of Mérida’s most beautiful and popular motorways shut down to car traffic for bikes. For the event, you’ll find many bike rental shops open for business.
By car
If you plan to explore the areas surrounding Mérida during your trip, renting a car is a good choice. For travelers who do not plan to leave the city of Mérida, a rental car can still be useful. If you do choose to rent a car, booking it ahead of your trip will likely save you money. Be prepared to show a credit card and a valid driver’s license from your home country.
By bus
There are a number of local bus ways that visitors can take advantage of during their stay. Bus stops are everywhere throughout the city, and most run from around 6 am to 11 pm. However, people who are not locals may find it difficult to determine which way to take and where to find the bus stops. See the Mérida transportation website for information on specific way.
By taxi
Taxis in Mérida are considered safe and are fairly easy to catch - just note that you’ll need to know some basics in Spanish to communicate with most drivers. Typically, drivers have a set fare to get to various attractions within the city.
1. Which is the convenient way to travel in the city center of Mérida?| A．By bus. | B．By car. | C．By bike. | D．On foot. |
| A．Deciding which bus way to take. | B．Renting a bike on Sundays. |
| C．Booking a car ahead of a trip. | D．Getting to various attractions. |
| A．Show your credit card. | B．Prepare a driver’s license. |
| C．Pay Mexican car insurance. | D．Learn some basic Spanish. |
【推荐3】Singapore's public transport system(公共交通系统)is one of the best in the world, so you should have no problem finding your way around like a local(当地人).There are three main forms of public transport that you would find in any other major city—trains, buses and taxis.
TRAINS
Trains run from 6:00 am to midnight.Single trip tickets start at 80 cents.If you buy an EZ-Link card for $ 15, you can ride the trains and buses all you like.
If you need more information, just call Transit Link at 18007674333.
BUSES
There are several bus services in Singapore and fares(车费)start at 80 cents.Be sure to always ask the driver the cost of your ticket as he cannot give changes.
If you need help, just call Transit Link at 18007674333.
TAXIS
There are three main taxi companies—City Cab (65522222),Comfort (65521111)and Tibs (6552 8888).Booking(预定)can also be made easily by calling the numbers listed above.
RENTAL(租)CARS
Driving in Singapore is a pleasure and if you like to travel at your own pace, renting a car is a good choice.Renting takes away the hassle on getting to places around Singapore.Just sit back and enjoy the city.It also means you’ll get to see a lot more that a train or a bus won't let you see.
For car rental, call Avis at 6567371668.
1. With an EZ-Link card, you can take____________.| A．both buses and trains | B．only trains |
| C．both buses and taxis | D．only rental cars |
| A．take your own license with you |
| B．ask the driver how much your ticket is |
| C．buy the bus map of Singapore |
| D．book your ticket ahead of time |
| A．Trouble. | B．Happiness. | C．View. | D．Expense. |
| A．Renting cars is the best way to travel in Singapore. |
| B．It’s much cheaper to go around by bus than by train. |
| C．You can see a lot more in Singapore only by renting a car. |
| D．It’s very convenient for visitors to travel in Singapore. |
【推荐1】Dr. Donald Sadoway at MIT started his own battery company with the hope of changing the world's energy future．It's a dramatic endorsement（支持）for a technology most people think about only when their smartphone goes dark．But Sadoway isn't alone in boasting about energy storage as a missing link to a cleaner, more efficient, and more equitable energy future．
Scientists and engineers have long believed in the promise of batteries to change the world．Advanced batteries are moving out of specialized markets and creeping into the mainstream, signaling a tipping point for forward-looking technologies such as electric cars and rooftop solar propels．
The ubiquitous（无所不在的）battery has already come a long way, of course．For better or worse, batteries make possible our mobile-first．lifestyles, our screen culture, our increasingly globalized world．Still, as impressive as all this is, it may be trivial compared with what comes next．Having already enabled a communications revolution, the battery is now poised to transform just about everything else．
The wireless age is expanding to include not just our phones, tablets, and laptops, but also our cars, homes, and even whole communities．In emerging economies, rural communities are bypassing the wires and wooden poles that spread power．Instead, some in Africa and Asia are seeing their first light bulbs illuminated by the power of sunlight stored in batteries．
Today, energy storage is a $33 billion global industry that generates nearly 100 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year．By the end of the decade, it's expected to be worth over 50 billion dollars and generate 160 gigawatt-hours, enough to attract the attention of major companies that might not otherwise be interested in a decidedly pedestrian technology．Even utility companies, which have long viewed batteries and alternative forms of energy as a threat, are learning to embrace the technologies as enabling rather than disrupting．
Today's battery breakthroughs come as the world looks to expand modern energy access to the billion or so people without it, while also cutting back on fuels that warm the planet．Those simultaneous challenges appear less overwhelming with increasingly better answers to a centuries-old question: how to make power portable．
To be sure, the battery still has a long way to go before the nightly recharge completely replaces the weekly trip to the gas station．A battery-powered world comes with its own risks, too．What happens to the centralized electric grid, which took decades and billions of dollars to build, as more and more people become "prosumers," who produce and consume their own energy on site?
No one knows which——if any——battery technology will ultimately dominate, but one thing remains clear．The future of energy is in how we store it．
1. What does Dr. Sadoway think of energy storage?| A．It involves the application of sophisticated technology． |
| B．It is the direction energy development should follow． |
| C．It will prove to be a profitable business． |
| D．It is a technology benefiting everyone． |
| A．Mobile-first lifestyles will become popular． |
| B．The globalization process will speed up． |
| C．Communications will take more diverse forms． |
| D．The world will undergo revolutionary changes． |
| A．find digital devices simply indispensable |
| B．communicate primarily by mobile phone |
| C．light their homes with stored solar energy |
| D．distribute power with wires and wooden poles |
| A．It might become a thing of the past． |
| B．It might turn out to be a "prosumer"． |
| C．It will be easier to operate and maintain． |
| D．It will have to be completely transformed． |
【推荐2】On Tuesday, the Amazon Company introduced Amazon One, which connects your palm(手掌) print to a stored credit card so you can place your hand above a sensor to enter and leave easily after buying at checkout-free Amazon(AMZN) Go stores.
Dilip Kumar, Amazon’s vice president told CNN Business that Amazon One had been used since long before the COVID-19. But the timing could be a positive for Amazon: Customers may find such payment convenient, and businesses also find it hopeful.
Yet the use of the Amazon One could raise eyebrows, too. Amazon has once come under fire from people who care about its facial-recognition software. When it comes to Amazon One data, Kumar said all palm pictures are coded and Amazon stores them online.
“I encourage people to try it, see how they like the experience,” Kumar said. You can hold your palm above an Amazon One scanner to enter the store. Then, anything you take will be automatically (自动地) charged to the credit card connected to their palm. Amazon One will make shopping faster and more convenient. Before trying it, users must place a credit card in an Amazon One device and hold a palm above it, facing down, so it can be scanned. The camera in it takes many pictures of the fine lines of the palm, and catches some details, which can’t be seen in typical photographs.
Amazon One now can be bought at two of the Amazon Go stores in Seattle, at 7th Avenue and Blanchard Street, and in the South Lake Union neighborhood.
1. Why is Amazon One introduced?| A．To ensure the safety. | B．To have a test. |
| C．To see credit cards. | D．To pay easily. |
| A．Being quite hot. | B．Receiving ill comments. |
| C．Getting on fire. | D．Gaining wide recognition. |
| A．It was not used until the outbreak of COVID-19. |
| B．It is convenient for customers . |
| C．It connects the credit card to one’s palm. |
| D．Its device takes the pictures of the palm. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Objective. | C．Supportive. | D．Unclear. |
【推荐3】The State-Of-The-Art-Tech Behind Fighting Fires
How are today’s firefighters dealing with massive wildfires? They’re doing it by using the most advanced technology. Whether it’s with a modified jumbo jet or innovative thermal(热的) imaging cameras, we take a look at the tech behind fighting some of the world’s most overwhelming fires.
Teams fighting against the California wildfires used the Global SuperTanker – a modified jumbo jet that carries almost 73,000 liters (19,200 gallons) of fire retardant(阻燃剂) – alongside the S-64 Aircrane heavy-lifting helicopter, which carries 10,000 liters (2,200 gallons) of water.
These air tankers are used to put out flames and monitor fire spread through sensors and video feeds coupled to GPS data. Fed into hi-tech computer modelling software, they can help predict the fire’s behavior and possible spread patterns. Computer models are able to provide small area coverage only meters wide, mapping territory and airflow. Fires are especially responsive to wind conditions and these tools allow firefighters to determine the passage of flames at ground level.
But manned aircrafts need a large investment in maintenance and crew training. Command and control centers are turning to unmanned aircraft to keep costs down and provide additional capabilities. Small quadcopters(四旋翼机) and larger fixed-wing aircraft can fly over fires for much longer periods.
Smoke can cover the ground for days at a time or pose a severe breathing risk to air crews – However, this is not a problem for drones. Onboard high definition, infrared(红外辐射的) and thermal imaging cameras can provide direction to ground teams, spot vital infrastructure (including power or water lines), and identify dangerous or flammable objects.
Infrared and thermal cameras can see through smoke to monitor ground teams and let them know when conditions change. Unmanned aircraft can provide aerial images, heat maps, and temperature scales of fire zones. Specialist drones can even carry hoses to less accessible areas. In the future, swarms of autonomous drones could be used to track wildfires and spot fire spread.
Thermal imaging technology has become widespread and less expensive to use. Handheld cameras and devices that attach to smartphones allow firefighters to see through smoke and find active fire hotspots, or undergrowth that is burning without producing smoke.
Identifying these hotspots allows crews to target the most active and dangerous parts of a wildfire and divert manpower to tackle it more effectively.
Augmented reality helmets that include breathing appliance alongside computer vision-aided displays are adding to the ground team’s capabilities. Thermal cameras inside the helmets mean that firefighters can operate in environments completely obscured by smoke. At the same time, they can wirelessly transmit information on what is happening at the frontline to command and control points.
Robots are also making a difference. The Smokebot was developed by a Swedish university to assist fire and rescue services. It collects data in environments with reduced visibility using radar, a laser scanner, a thermal camera and gas sensors. Smokebot can help in forest fire situations mapping large areas filled with dust or smoke, where it is too risky to send in rescue personnel.
Earth-observing satellites commonly detect wildfires in wilderness areas. Their cameras and remote sensors are used to estimate the fire’s evolution and provide situational awareness that saves lives.
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi NPP satellite gives near real-time data to NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) on active fires across the world.
Finally, to get the bigger picture on fire tracking and monitoring, the US Forest Service and US Geological Survey uses data from the Landsat Earth-observing satellites. Data gathered from every major fire in the country since 1984 has been fed into computer models to help predict and prevent wildfires.
1. What does the underlined “they”, in the third paragraph, refer to?| A．Current firefighters tackling massive wildfires. |
| B．The modified jumbo jets and art thermal imaging cameras. |
| C．The data gained from sensors and video feeds, plus GPS information. |
| D．The air tankers used to put out flames and monitor fire spread. |
| A．Drones don’t need much fuel when putting out wildfires and identifying the causes of fires. |
| B．Less money is needed in training crews when drones are available. |
| C．Drones won’t come across any breathing problems when in work. |
| D．Drones needs much less investment in maintenance. |
| A．Swarms of autonomous drones used to extinguish wildfires from air. |
| B．AR helmets with breathing appliance alongside computer vision-aided. |
| C．Drones with high definition, infrared and thermal imaging cameras onboard. |
| D．Earth-observing satellites equipped with cameras and remote sensors. |
| A．It was created by a Swiss university to assist fire and rescue services. |
| B．It can help to send rescue personnel to a fire spot. |
| C．It can help draw a map of large areas and fill the regions with dust or smoke. |
| D．It collects data using advanced technology where visibility is reduced due to fires. |
Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios（收音机） with earphones and listen to music before class, after class and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers (扬声器) and play the music loudly as they drive on the street.
Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, politics(政治), and activities of the American people. But most of the radio broadcast (广播) is music.
Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in every state. Once the popular singer is heard throughout the country, young people buy his or her tapes. Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.
Besides pop music, there are two other kinds of music that is important to Americans. One is called folk music. It tells stories about the common（平凡的）life of Americans. The other is called western or country music. This was started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.
1. In America, every student likes ______.| A．folk music | B．country music |
| C．pop music | D．western music |
| A．sports | B．the weather | C．politics | D．music |
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．Music in America | B．Music Listeners |
| C．Cowboys in America | D．International Language |
【推荐2】Here are a few interesting facts about Teachers’ Day around the world.
China celebrates Teachers’ Day on September 10. The tradition began in the 1980s to improve teachers lives and status and encourage everyone to respect teachers.
In India, Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5, in honor of Dr. Radhakrishnan. He was India’s second president and a person who believed in good education. Traditionally on this day, the teaching is done by the senior students while the teachers get a much-deserved break from their work.
The United Nations has made October 5 World Teachers’ Day. This special day was started to let the world see what teachers have done and listen to the teachers’ worries and the things they want to change.
In the United States, National Teachers’ Day is always on the Tuesday of the first week of May, so the actual date is different every year. The history of celebrating this day goes back to 1944.
In Germany, Teachers’ Day is celebrated on June 12 every year. People will express their respect to teachers with many activities. Teachers always receive prizes, presents, beautiful cards and other things.
Teachers’ Day is celebrated in Brunei(文莱) on September 23.
January 15 is Teachers’ Day in Venezuela(委内瑞拉).
North Korea celebrates Teachers Day on September 5.
1. How many countries mentioned in the passage have their Teachers’ Day?| A．7. | B．8. | C．6. | D．9. |
| A．Radhakrishnan was the first president of India. |
| B．Radhakrishnan attached great importance to education. |
| C．On Teachers’ Day the teachers in India are still working hard. |
| D．Teachers’ Day is celebrated on September 5 in India. |
| A．To encourage everyone to respect and honor teachers. |
| B．To let the world realize teachers’ contributions and encourage people to care about and help teachers. |
| C．To see what teachers have done in the year. |
| D．To have a dialogue with teachers. |
continued writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because simple as the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the end, to the reader’s surprise.1. In which order did O. Henry do the following things?
a. Lived in New York.
b. Worked in a bank.
c. Travelled to Texas.
d. Was put in prison.
e. Had a newspaper Job.
f. Learned to write stories.
| A．e. c. f. b. d. a | B．c. e. b. d. f. a |
| C．e. b. d. c. a. f. | D．c. b. e. d. a f. |
| A．they had surprise endings | B．they were easy to understand |
| C．they showed his love for the poor | D．they were about New York City |
| A．people thought he had stolen money from the newspaper |
| B．he broke the law by not using his own name |
| C．he wanted to write stories about prisoners |
| D．people thought he had taken money that was not his |
| A．He was well-educated. | B．He was not serious about his work. |
| C．He was devoted to the poor. | D．He was very good at learning. |
