Foreign drivers will have to pay on the spot fines of up to￡900 for breaking the traffic law to be carried out next month.
If they do not have enough cash or a working credit card, their vehicles will be clamped (扣留) until they pay — and they will face an additional fee of ￡80 for getting back their vehicles.
The law will also apply to British citizens. The fines will be described officially as “deposits” when the traffic law takes effect, because the money would be returned if the driver went to court and was found not guilty. In practice, very few foreign drivers are likely to return to Britain to deal with their cases.
Foreign drivers are rarely charged because police cannot take action against them if they fail to appear in court. Instead, officers often merely give warnings.
Three million foreign registered vehicles enter Britain each year. Polish vehicles make up 36 percent, French vehicles 10 percent and German vehicles 9 percent.
Foreign vehicles are 30 percent more likely to be in a crash than British registered vehicles. The number of crashes caused by foreign vehicles rose by 47 percent between 2003 and 2008. There were almost 400 deaths and serious injuries and 3,000 slight injuries from accidents caused by foreign vehicles in 2008.
The new law is partly intended to settle the problem of foreign lorry drivers ignoring limits on weight and hours at the wheel. Foreign lorries are three times more likely to be in a crash than British lorries. Recent spot checks found that three quarters of lorries that failed safety tests were registered overseas.
The standard deposit for a careless driving offence — such as driving too close to the vehicle in front or reading a map at the wheel — will be￡300. Deposits for speeding offences and using mobile phones will be￡60. Foreign drivers will not get points as punishment added to their licenses, while British drivers will.
1. The first paragraph serves as a(n) _______.| A．explanation | B．introduction |
| C．comment | D．background |
| A．￡60 | B．￡300 |
| C．￡900 | D．￡980 |
| A．limit the number of foreign vehicles entering Britain |
| B．increase the British government’s additional income |
| C．lower the rate of traffic accidents and injuries |
| D．get foreign drivers to appear in court |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Passenger Information Carry-on Bag Rules
When travelling on China Southern planes, we ask our customers to follow our simple bag rules.
—Each passenger is allowed to bring one bag onto the plane.
—Weight limit: Each carry-on bag may weigh up to 10 kilos.
—Size limit: Each carry-on bag can be up to 110cm long, 60cm high and 30cm wide.
—Additional bags and oversized/overweight bags may be allowed on the plane if there is enough room. There will be a fee for such bags (see the table below). Please note that if your bag breaks more than one rule then you must pay a fee for each rule broken.
Safety Rules
For the safety of our passengers, the following items must not be taken onto the plane:
—Bottles containing gas (e.g. cigarette lighter)
—Bottles containing any cream, oil or other liquid that are over 100ml.
Note:
If you have any liquid medicines over 100ml that you must use during your flight, please contact our customer service manager on 34533566 to make arrangements at least 24 hours before your departure. You will need to have a doctor’s letter explaining why you need the medicine.
Bag Fees
| Rule | ||
| Fee Overweight* | Bags heavier than 10 kilos | ￥100 per kilo over limit |
| Oversized** | Bags larger than 110cmX60cmX30cm | ￥250 per bag |
| Extra bags | ￥400 per extra bag |
*No bag over 15 kilos will be allowed on the plane.
**No bag over 150cm long or 80cm high may be taken on the plane. Passengers must put such bags in the plane’s storage.
1. How much will a passenger pay for a carry-on bag that is 110cmX50cmX25cm in size and weighs 13 kilos? .| A．850 yuan. | B．550 yuan. | C．300 yuan. | D．250 yuan. |
| A．When they arrive at the airport. | B．Six hours before their flight. |
| C．At least one day before their flight. | D．After they get on the plane. |
| A．A 100ml bottle of cream. | B．A bag that is 120cm long. |
| C．Medical equipment. | D．A gas bottle. |
【推荐2】Metro Pocket Guide
Metrorail(地铁)
Each passenger needs a fare card to enter and go out.Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer.
Fare card machine are in every station.Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the station and fare card machine only provide up to $ 5 in change.
Get one of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a fare card machine in Metro stations.Use it after 9:30 a.m. until closing on weekdays,and all day on weekends and holidays.
Hours of Service
Open: 5 a.m. Mon—Fri. 7a.m. Sat—Sun.
Close: midnight Sun—Thur. 3a.m. Fri—Sat. nights
Last train time vary.To avoid missing the last train,please check the last train time posted in the station.
Metrobus
When paying with exact change, the fare is $ 1.35. When paying with a smatTrip@CARD the fare is $1.25
Fares for the Senior /disabled（老年/残疾）customers
Senior customers 65 and older and disabled customers may spend less money on their ride. On Metrorail and Metrobus, use a senior/disabled fare card or SmarTrip@card. For more information about buying senior/ disabled fare cards, or SmarTrip@ cards and passes, please visit MetroOpenDoors.com or call 202-637-7000 and 202-637-8000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorail services by calling 202-962-1100
Travel tips
--Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4 and 6 p.m.
--If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost & Found at 202-962-1195.
1. At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday?| A．At midnight | B．at 7 a.m. |
| C．at 5 a.m. | D．at 3 p.m. |
| A．It is convenient for old people. | B．It can be bought at any time. |
| C．It saves money for its users. | D．It is sold on the Internet. |
| A．202-962-1100 | B．202-962-1195 |
| C．202-673-7000 | D．202-673-8000 |
Fly on non-stop routes
Most accidents occur during the takeoff, climb, descent and landing phases of a flight, so flying non-stop reduces your exposure to these complex procedures.
Choose larger aircraft
Although small aircraft have very good safety records, those with more than 30 passenger seats are designed to comply(遵守) with much stricter regulations and are tested more regularly to make sure they still comply. Also, in the unlikely event of a serious accident, larger aircraft provide a better opportunity for passenger survival.
Pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing
The information may seem repetitious(重复的), but it’s worth listening to the flight attendants. And even if you’ve flown before, it doesn’t mean you know everything about the aircraft you’re on, such as the location of the closest emergency exit.
Store things safely
Never put very heavy articles in the overhead storage bins. They may fall out when someone opens the bin and cause injury. Also, the bin may not be able to hold heavier objects during turbulence(气流).
Keep our seat belt fastened while you are seated
Cabin crew always tell you this, but it’s important. You would be seriously injured if the plane hits unexpected turbulence. Always fasten your seat belt if you are told to. The general rule of flying is this: If you are told to do something, do it first and ask questions later.
Let the flight attendant pour your hot drinks
Flight attendants are trained to handle hot drinks like coffee or tea in a crowded aisle on a moving aircraft, so allow them to pour the drink and hand it to you. Never ask to take a coffee pot from one of them.
1. What is the overall reason for these air safety tips?
| A．What to do in the event of a crash. | B．How to avoid turbulence. |
| C．How to improve safety while you are flying. | D．How to avoid injury. |
| A．They are more comfortable. | B．They have stricter regulations. |
| C．They are tested more often. | D．There are more possibilities of surviving. |
| A．anything the flight staff tell you to do | B．general safety advice |
| C．walking around the plane | D．pouring hot drinks |
| A．You are not supposed to ask for a coffee pot. |
| B．Take-offs is safer on non-stop flights than landings. |
| C．Every aircraft is different, so the safety procedures may be different. |
| D．Seat belts should be worn to protect against turbulence. |
| A．The Safest Way to Travel | B．Air Safety Tips |
| C．Non-stop Routes | D．How to Ply a Plane |
【推荐1】“My goal is that the City of Atlanta becomes the best place in the United States to raise a family,” says Mayor (市长) Andre Dickens about the capital of Georgia.
Dickens grew up in Atlanta. Recently, he was asked about his main goals for this city of nearly 500,000 people. His focus, he said, is on the youth. For that reason, he told the public officially 2023 is the Year of the Youth.
“Whatever we do, we have to think about young people,” Dickens said. “Atlanta’s young people are our future. Continuing to invest (投资) in future generations puts them on pathways to success that will help us move Atlanta forward together.”
Dickens said that after he put forward the idea of the Year of the Youth, businesses, nonprofits, and other community members all said, “I want to be in on that.”
Businesses offer summer internship (实习) programs. They allow students in Atlanta to get valuable experience in the workplace. Dickens explained that several businesses in the city even made their working environments suitable for young people to join in internships.
Improving education is another key goal. Schools and city leaders have been working together to make their partnership in the service of young people stronger. Toward this end, the city is working to improve educational opportunities, create safe ways to school, and offer after-school activities for free or at little cost.
Dickens also believes that it’s important to invest in early education. Investing in early education, he explained, means that more young people will be able to develop basic skills, stopping them from falling behind later in life.
Dickens is looking forward to positive results. “Everyone’s getting ready to serve the young people over the summer,” he said.
1. Why does Dickens invest in future generations?| A．To encourage the development of the city. |
| B．To draw more attention to young people. |
| C．To attract more youths to Atlanta. |
| D．To make Atlanta more famous. |
| A．Worried. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．The importance of internship for the youth. |
| B．Dickens’ suggestions to businesses. |
| C．How businesses help the youth. |
| D．Why businesses offer help. |
| A．It builds more schools for early education. |
| B．It cooperates with schools and businesses. |
| C．It asks more young people for their support. |
| D．It helps young people with personal problems. |
（A）
Taiwan will finalize a plan by the end of June to open up the island to tourists from mainland China, though no date has been fixed for formal implementation(执行), an official at the Mainland Affairs Council(MAC) said on Monday.
The official said the reports in the local press on Monday that the MAC has decided to postpone its plan to announce the implementation of the new plan on July 1 were inaccurate.
The official said cooperation between different organizations was still underway. The United Daily news quoted the director of the MAC’s legal affairs department, Liu Thehsun, as saying the plan to open up to mainland tourists would not be implemented as scheduled due to a lack of cross-strait communication.
Although relevant authorities, including the Bureau of Immigration and the Tourism Bureau, have complete reports on how to deal with visitors from mainland China, the decision has been taken not to press, ahead with announcement of the plan’s implementation on the first of July, Liu was quoted as saying.
The report also said that while no restrictions would be imposed on the mainland visitors in terms of age or residence in China, the visitors would need to hold a steady job or have more than 50,000RMB (about 6,000, U.S.dollars) in bank savings before they would be eligible (有资格的) to visit Taiwan.
In addition, Taiwan bound mainland tourists would have to come as part of a tour group and would be allowed to stay a maximum of 10 days each time.
The number of mainland tourists allowed to enter the island would also initially be limited to 1,000 people a day.
Although most people from Taiwan are free to travel to China, only a small number of mainland Chinese have been able to visit the island due to restrictions imposed by both sides of the Taiwan Strait after the end of a civil war in 1949.
1. At the moment, according to the passage, .| A．no mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now |
| B．any mainland Chinese can visit Taiwan now |
| C．many mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949 |
| D．a few mainland Chinese have ever visited Taiwan since 1949 |
| A．there will be no restrictions to mainland visitors |
| B．mainland visitors who want to travel in Taiwan must have at least ￥50,000 in the bank savings account |
| C．there will be no age restrictions to the mainland visitors |
| D．mainland visitors will be free to travel to Taiwan |
| A．MAC | B．United Daily |
| C．several organizations | D．Bureau of Immigration |
| A．The implementation of the plan has not been fixed. |
| B．It was originally fixed on July 1 to announce the plan’s implementation. |
| C．For lack of cross-strait communication, the plan will not be officially completed until July. |
| D．When the plan is finalized, it will be announced immediately. |
【推荐3】China is regarded as a miracle economy, and is well on its way to affecting the world in its way. Apart from the four ancient inventions and the four new technical inventions, which have been making people’s lives more and more convenient, the Belt and Road Initiative is changing the world. If we fail to swim with the tide (潮流) of history, we will be left behind. This is the central idea of the “Belt and Road” section in a Japan’s documentary China: the Great Dragon.
The documentary states its central idea by showing the vast farmlands of Kazakhstan, the classic small goods markets in Poland and an advanced robotics production center in Germany. They are now linked within a huge economic circle by “the B&R” Initiative. The cameras captured images of tall buildings and large skyscrapers in the Astana — the capital of Kazakhstan that were constructed with building materials produced in China-funded brickyards. They also captured scenes of merchants from Eastern European countries who drove thousands of miles to buy goods at the China Mall in Warsaw, Poland. Annually, more than 1,000 trains from China arrive at Durisburg, Germany. In 2016, China became Germany’s biggest trade partner, and bilateral (双边的) economic and trade relations are only expected to grow from here.
The documentary featured the Eurasian continental railway, which relies on China’s investment and operation. Shipping between China and European countries on the railway takes one-third the time of sea transportation, and goods can be delivered at only one-fifth the cost of air transportation.
It also shows many ordinary Chinese farmers cultivating farmland in Central Asia as well as Chinese merchants involved in the Eastern European markets and those who find opportunities in the mass ecommerce (电子商务) world. By getting involved in “B&R” construction, they enriched themselves and realized their dreams.
This Japanese documentary gives a vivid description that China’s steady advance and contribution to the development of the world has made it the second largest economy in the world.
1. What did the “Belt and Road” section tell the audiences?| A．China has changed the world. |
| B．Most Chinese are changing the tide of history. |
| C．Four new inventions are advancing the tide of history. |
| D．Following the tide of history, China is making progress. |
| A．By showing the different data. | B．By recording some actual events. |
| C．By connecting with some relative things. | D．By comparing the lives in China and Germany. |
| A．It belongs to China only. | B．It offers better transportation. |
| C．It replaces the sea transportation. | D．It contributes much to the airline. |
| A．Show the tide of Chinese history. |
| B．Describe the great development of modern China. |
| C．Compare the ancient and modern inventions in China. |
| D．Introduce the “Belt and Road” Initiative and its impacts. |
Safety information for study abroad
Remember you are responsible for the choices you make regarding your safety! Be careful all the time. Not knowing about the culture, language, people and situations may put you at higher risk. Learn what women and men do in the culture to protect themselves.
☆ Avoid walking alone at night. Do not agree to meet a person whom you do not know in a lonely place. Be cautious when meeting new people. Don’t give out your address and phone number to strangers or let out too much personal information about yourself.
☆ Do not attract attention to yourself by speaking English loudly in public in America or wearing expensive jewelry. These manners will certainly attract thieves, or worse. Do not be afraid to be impolite when faced with unwanted situations. Do not let anyone push you into taking risks. If you feel unsafe, you probably are.
☆ Taxis are not safe everywhere, especially late at night. Men and women are often robbed by taxi drivers. In many cities, taxis have gotten so dangerous that people use Radio Taxis to get the names of good companies.
☆ When using public telephones, especially in a lonely place, stand facing out so you can see your surroundings. If someone stops you to ask for the time or to ask for directions, step away to a distance that is safer. Why would they consider asking an obviously foreign person for directions?
☆ Your life will always be more important than any of your possessions (财产). Let them go and run away if necessary.
1. For whom is the passage written?| A．Parents who worry about the safety of their children. |
| B．Foreign people who are traveling in the USA. |
| C．Those students who are studying abroad. |
| D．People who are interested in foreign culture. |
| A．Friendly. | B．Careful. | C．Active. | D．Calm. |
| A．others will laugh at your bad English |
| B．it is bad manners to speak loudly in American culture |
| C．you will attract too much attention to yourself |
| D．other people will ask more information about yourself |
| A．Taking public transportation whenever you go out. |
| B．Not considering others’ feelings as long as you like. |
| C．Not offering help to anyone in the street. |
| D．Having a high sense of safety at any time. |
【推荐2】People tend to connect to their cultural or ethnic group through similar food patterns. Immigrants often use food as a means of maintaining their cultural identity. People from different cultural backgrounds eat different foods. The ingredients, methods of preparation, preservation techniques (技巧), and types of food eaten at different mealtimes vary among cultures. The areas in which families live and where their ancestors originated influence food likes and dislikes. These food preferences result in patterns of food choices within a cultural or regional group.
Nations or countries are frequently associated with certain foods. For example, many people associate Italy with pizza and pasta (意大利面食). Yet Italians eat many other foods, and types of pasta dishes vary throughout Italy. Methods of preparation and types of food in a nation vary by region. Some families in the United States prefer to eat “meat and potatoes,” but “meat and potatoes” are not eaten on a regular basis, nor even preferred, by many in the United States and would not be labeled a national cuisine.
Regional food habits do exist, but they also change over time. As people immigrate, food practices and preferences are imported and exported. Families move to other locations, bringing their food preferences with them. They may use their old recipes with new ingredients, or experiment with new recipes. In addition, food itself is imported from other countries. Approximately (大约) 80 percent of Samoa’s food requirements are imported from the United States, New Zealand, or Australia. Because people and food are mobile, attempts to characterize a country or people by what they eat are often inaccurate.
Even the role of conversation during mealtime varies from place to place. Many families believe that mealtime is a good time to catch up on the lives of family and friends. Among other families, conversation during a meal is acceptable, but the topics of conversation are limited. In some Southeast Asian countries, it is considered polite to limit conversation during a meal.
Food traditions vary widely throughout the world. However, in most parts of the world, food is associated with hospitality (好客) and expression of friendship. Therefore, sensitivity to food rules and customs is important in building and strengthening cross-cultural relationships.
1. What can be learned about Italians’ eating habits?| A．They differ from region to region. | B．They center on meat and potatoes. |
| C．They mainly consist of pizza and pasta. | D．They are similar to American eating habits. |
| A．People are forming new food preferences. |
| B．People can’t be simply defined by their food. |
| C．People don’t have the same food requirements. |
| D．People are developing a liking for international food. |
| A．Learn about. | B．Make up for. |
| C．Continue with. | D．Make a difference to. |
| A．Expression of friendship should be appropriate. |
| B．Awareness of food cultures should be developed. |
| C．Cross-cultural relationships should be built continually. |
| D．Food traditions should be passed on from generation to generation. |
【推荐3】Nao, a small robot, looks like a person. If Nao begged you not to shut it off, what would you do? Would you follow its wishes?
Scientists did a study to see how people treat robots that act like people. Eighty-nine people volunteered for the study. They were asked to help to improve Nao’s social skills by finishing two tasks with it.
The tasks with the robot didn’t matter, though. What the scientists really wanted to see was how the participants (参与者) reacted once the tasks were over. They were asked to talk with Nao and finally shut Nao off but it was not easy to do. Some people did not want to turn the robot off while others take a long time to do it.
People often communicate with non-human objects such as TVs and computers nowadays. But robots seem more human than TVs. Robots can show social characters themselves, like speaking with human voices or taking the shape of a human body. Scientists said people might have seen Nao’s cries as a sign of independent thought. In turn, this could have led people to see the robot as having human-like characters. For thousands of years, humans have lived in a world where they are the only ones who could have conversations, the study said. Our brains have learned to react to social situations in a certain way. But our brains are not used to telling the difference between the real people and fake people. The robot expresses feelings and desires, which gets people to want to treat the robot as if it was alive.
1. What’s the purpose of the study?| A．To test how fast human-like robots do tasks. |
| B．To improve human-like robots’ facial expressions. |
| C．To invent human-like robots to keep people company. |
| D．To learn how people might respond to human-like robots. |
| A．They had feelings for Nao. |
| B．They refused Nao’s requests. |
| C．They shut Nao off immediately. |
| D．They praised Nao’s social skills. |
| A．Not active. | B．Not tall. | C．Not real. | D．Not smart. |
| A．healthy lifestyles | B．popular science |
| C．sport events | D．successful people |
