A couple has completed a tiring 4,500-mile bike ride around Europe in the shape of an enormous bicycle, in a creative attempt to promote sustainable travel.
Accompanied by their dog Zola, David Smith, 35, and Arianna Saraghi, 40, rode through seven countries to create the striking image, motivated by their desire to raise awareness about climate change. After completing their 7237-kilometer journey earlier this week, the pair said they had narrowly beaten the Guinness World Record for the largest GPS drawing made by any mode of transport.
They are also, unsurprisingly, confident that they have traced the biggest ever GPS bicycle, estimating that theirs is roughly 600 miles wide. “Being able to see it on^ the map is mainly a relief,” Ms Saraghi said after recounting the problems they had along the way.
They initially set off in the summer of 2019, armed with a computer-designed route which they had followed to avoid cycling through Paris’Charles de Gaulle Airport. However, they were forced to stop after Ms Saraghi sustained a knee injury.
The Anglo-Italian couple tried again that winter, before giving up because it was too cold to camp. The Covid-19 pandemic then delayed the trip’s completion by another two years. “We had so many obstacles. When we started this time we were thinking—what can go wrong this time? We felt we had let people down by not completing it, and our life felt kind of stuck. So we’re very happy,” Ms Saraghi said.
The pair said they want people who see the GPS image to consider cycling shorter journeys rather than choosing to drive. “Cycling is cheaper, it’s healthy, it’s fun, and it’s often pretty fast. Please give it a second and consider if there is an alternative to the car- there may not be, but often there is,” Mr Smith told The Independent. The 35-year-old added that they also hope politicians, who come across their GPS bicycle are motivated to improve cycling infrastructure (基础设施) to encourage the public to travel sustainably where possible.
1. What was the purpose of the couple’s bike ride?| A．To enjoy a journey with their dog. |
| B．To encourage green travel on bikes. |
| C．To give warnings on climate change. |
| D．To create a striking means of transport. |
| A．Long and comfortable. | B．Creative and inspiring. |
| C．Relaxing and relieving. | D．Challenging and profitable. |
| A．They successfully improved public facilities. |
| B．They let people down due to many obstacles. |
| C．They realized the dream of changing their life. |
| D．They finally meet the expectation of the public. |
| A．In many cases cycling can be an alternative to driving. |
| B．The GPS bicycle can inspire people to give up driving. |
| C．Better urban infrastructure prevents sustainable travel. |
| D．Cycling is cheaper, funnier and faster than driving a car. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Travel around England
Places to visit in London
☆The Thames
It runs through London, dividing the city into two parts. It’s interesting to take a trip on the river. This way, you can see almost every place of interest of London.
☆Big Ben
May 31, 2019 is the 160th birthday of the largest four-face clock in the world—Big Ben. It isn’t the name of the tower itself but the 13-ton bell inside it. Every hour, it “bongs” the number of hours to tell the time.
Places to visit in Liverpool
☆Music: “The Beatles Story”
If you love the Beatles—the world-famous 1960s music group, come here!
Open every day except Dec 25 and 26
Adult: £16.00
Under-16s and student: £12.00
Child under six: Free
☆Sport: “Liverpool FC”
Do you love football? Visit Anfield football center, home to Liverpool’s favorite football team, which was organized in 1892.
Closed on Sat & Sun.
Adult: £15.00
Under-16s and student: £9.00
Child under six: Free
☆Museum: “Liverpool Museum”
You can learn all about the history and culture of Liverpool here. It was set up in 1851, and moved to the new building in 2011.
Open daily
Free entry!
1. Which of the following has the longest history?| A．Liverpool Museum. | B．The Beatles Story. |
| C．Liverpool FC. | D．Big Ben. |
| A．£15. | B．£24. | C．£28. | D．£30. |
| A．By bus. | B．By boat. | C．By subway. | D．By taxi. |
【推荐2】As a gesture of friendship, Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo, Japan gave Washington, DC a gift of more than 3,000 Japanese cherry trees on March 17, 1912. Every spring, the cherry trees in Washington, DC take bloom, beginning one of the country’s loveliest celebrations, the National Cherry Blossom Festival (March 17-April 15). Book your trip now to see this vibrant display of pink and white in this city full of history!
Washington, DC Cherry Blossom In-Depth Tour
Price: $45
Available: Mar 25-Apr 15
Duration: 1 Day
Highlights: Visit Washington, DC; experience the peak period of cherry blossom (April 8-12)
Itinerary: Guests would start to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival and discover the beauty of cherry blossoms. Next, we will begin our sightseeing city tour including Lincoln Memorial, White House, US Capitol, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Washington Monument and International Spy Museum. Then visit the Jefferson Memorial, the best location to view the cherry blossoms. Finally, guests may board a Potomac River cruise to see the city from the water. Then tour ends.
Price Includes: Ground Transportation
Service fee for the tour guide: $ 10/person
Admission Fees:
| Destination | Adult | Child | Senior |
| International Spy Museum (Optional) | $21.95 | $14.95(3-12 yrs) | $19.95 (Over 65 yrs) |
| Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (Optional) | $23 | $17 (3-12yrs) | $20 (Over 65 yrs) |
| Potomac River Cruise (Optional) | $26 | $18 (3-12 yrs) | $23 (Over 65 yrs) |
Note: If you would like to join in the optional activities, please pay the fee in cash to the tour guide. You cannot buy the tickets on your own or use City Passes. The tour guide will arrange the tickets for the group.
1. On March 25, tourists can enjoy .| A．the cherry blossoms in full bloom |
| B．the National Cherry Blossom Festival |
| C．a discounted tour of a city foil of history |
| D．the anniversary celebration of the gift of trees |
| A．four | B．five |
| C．seven | D．eight |
| A．pay the service fee for the tour guide |
| B．take care of the ground transportation |
| C．show the City Pass at the ticket office |
| D．choose at least one optional destination |
| A．$156 | B．$143 |
| C．$153 | D．$108 |
【推荐3】Exhibitions in the British Museum
Hokusai: beyond the Great Wave
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is widely regarded as one of Japan’s most famous and influential artists. He produced works of astonishing quality right up until his death at the age of 90. This new exhibition will lead you on an artistic journey through the last 30 years of Hokusai's life — a time when he produced some of his most memorable masterpieces.
25 July — 13 August 2018
Room 35
Adults￡12, Members/under-16s free
Places of the mind: British watercolour landscapes 1850-1950
Drawn from the British Museum's rich collection, this is the first exhibition devoted to landscape drawings and watercolours by British artists in the Victorian and modern eras — two halves of very different centuries.
23 July — 27 August 2018
Room 90
Free, just drop in
Scythians: warriors of ancient Siberia
This major exhibition explores the story of the Scythians — nomadic tribes and masters of mounted warfare, who flourished between 900 and 200 BC. Their encounters with the Greeks, Assyrians and Persians were written into history but for centuries all trace of their culture was lost — buried beneath the ice.
14 September 2018 — 14 November 2018
Room 30
Adults￡16.50, Members/under-16s free
Politics and paradise: Indian popular prints from the Moscatelli Gift
This display is part of the Museum's contribution to the India-UK Year of Culture 2017. It looks at the popular print culture of India from the 1880s until the 1950s.
19 July — 3 September 2018
Room 90a
Free, just drop in
1. If you are interested in drawings of natural scenery, where will you probably go?| A．Room 35. | B．Room 90a. | C．Room 30. | D．Room 90. |
| A．Hokusai: beyond the Great Wave. |
| B．Politics and paradise: Indian popular prints from the Moscatelli Gift. |
| C．Places of the mind: British watercolour landscapes 1850-1950. |
| D．Scythians: warriors of ancient Siberia. |
| A．A tour guide. | B．A story book. |
| C．A parenting magazine. | D．A health report. |
【推荐1】The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s longest reef, measuring 2,027 km. Running parallel (平行的) to the coast of Queensland, Australia, the reef is home to many species of fish.
The Great Barrier Reef took thousands of years to form, and has existed for thousands of years, but in just a few short decades we humans have made remarkable progress in killing it. The balance of this ecosystem is being destroyed. Poisonous coastal pollution, overfishing and unsustainable tourism all contribute to the damage done. However, the biggest threat of all is climate change, which causes coral bleaching (珊瑚白化) and other problems.
Coral bleaching is a process that causes coral to turn white in color when exposed to certain stressors, such as changes in temperature or light. As water temperatures rise due to climate change, the algae (海藻) living inside coral becomes poisonous and is expelled from the coral, causing it to lose its color and a major source of food. Not only do the algae produce coral’s color, they also provide 90%of the coral’s energy. Thus, without the algae, most corals will die.
Unfortunately, coral bleaching events are now occurring at an alarming rate. Mass coral bleaching events in the Great Barrier Reef have been recorded in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2016, 2017 and 2020, and they are now expected to become an annual occurrence. The Great Barrier Reef is believed to have lost over 50% of its corals since 1995 and as global warming continues, this number will continue to increase rapidly.
In 2015, the Australian government formed a plan for the protection and preservation of the Great Barrier Reef until 2050. While the plan contains many great aims to improve water quality and restore the reef, there are no measures to deal with the root cause of the issue-climate change.
Solving the most important problem of our generation will require many solutions, such as supporting the use of renewable energy, keeping fossil fuels in the ground, protecting forests, reducing plastic production and preventing unsustainable business practices.
Repairing the damage done to the Great Barrier Reef — and other ecosystems around the world — will be no easy job, but we believe that individuals, businesses and governments will make a change and then there will be hope in the future.
1. What can we know about the Great Barrier Reef?| A．It is a lifeless coral reef structure. |
| B．It has the most preserved ecosystem. |
| C．It is a threat to the survival of human. |
| D．It has been affected by various factors. |
| A．Taken out. | B．Given away. | C．Driven out. | D．Washed away. |
| A．Coral reefs are experiencing growth. |
| B．The loss of corals is expected to decrease. |
| C．Coral bleaching takes place more frequently. |
| D．The government has taken steps to stop coral bleaching. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent. |
【推荐2】UK Phone Booths Become Free Solar-powered Mobile Phone Changers
Created in the 1920s by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect who designed Waterloo Bridge, the red public telephone boxes, which can be seen all over the UK, are regarded as one of the most typical symbols of this country.
However, public phones have had their day despite their lovely housings. While coin-operated and card-operated telephones are on the edge of extinction, mobile phones are playing a significant role in people’s lives. Though they are more portable, flexible and extensively used, mobile phones have their kryptonite: battery life. Instead of trashing the phone booths, a project was then promoted to recycle and reuse them. To be consistent with the environment-friendly preference, people are allowed to rent and repurpose the red phone boxes. In this way, they are making an unusual comeback.
When you take a walk down Tottenham Court Road in London and find your mobile phone in a low-battery condition, there happens to be a green option for you. The abandoned phone booths are being repurposed as free charging stations powered by solar energy.
Inside the booths, which are newly painted green, there are various adapters that can be connected to different brands and models of mobile phones. Just walk in, plug your phone in, and charge it up whenever it needs to be supplied with power. Since most people would stay inside the boxes while they charge, Solarbox, the company which launched the project, can reach a large quantity of audience by displaying ads on solid equipment. Its advertisers include well-known companies like Uber, yet 30% of advertising space is reserved for local community projects.
Apart from converting phone booths into solar-powered charging stations, other forms of transformation can be found in and outside the UK. For example, there is medical equipment or mini libraries adapted from phone booths, while in America, thousands of phone booths have been transformed to Wi-Fi hot spots.
1. What does underlined word “kryptonite” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Power. | B．Strength. | C．Weakness. | D．Feature. |
| A．The new function. |
| B．Advertising profit. |
| C．People’s affection. |
| D．Companies’ support. |
| A．Conventional. | B．Consistent. | C．Costly. | D．Convenient. |
| A．The future of the public phones. |
| B．The revival of the phone boxes. |
| C．The rise and fall of the red boxes. |
| D．The ups and downs of the pay phone. |
【推荐3】After the birth of her second child in 2019, Keet was motivated to make changes by the thought of what kind of world her children were going to have. “I was totally awake in the middle of the night having climate anxiety,” she said. “I just brought this person into the world—what does her future look like? What does my son’s future look like?”
Keet started the seeds of Planetarian Life based on her experiences doing Meatless Monday, but with fewer restrictions and a larger sense of purpose. “There’s vegetarianism(素食主义), but these things don’t describe my why,” she said. “I’m eating this way for the planet.”
That’s the most basic definition of who a planetarian is, according to Keet: someone who is changing the way they eat and live for the good of the Earth.
With Planetarian Life, Keet decided to take a small-steps approach. Instead of cutting out meat entirely or working with unfamiliar ingredients, planetarian eating works around making small replacements in your usual meals on your own schedule and to your own preferred tastes.
This can be as simple as using chickpeas instead of rotisserie chicken to make chickpea “chicken” salad or cooking a big batch of quinoa to keep on hand for quick skillet vegetable bowls throughout the week.
Like compound interest, the minor changes made to familiar meals add up to a bigger lifestyle change over time—and they are easier to stick with than drastic cuts. Because no foods are banned from the planetarian way of eating, it’s up to every individual to take it as far as they want to go.
1. Why did Keet want to make changes in 2019?| A．She could not sleep well at night. |
| B．Her children’s future career worried her. |
| C．Her second child was not healthy enough. |
| D．She wanted to make the world a better place. |
| A．Removing meat from daily meals. |
| B．Changing one’s usual meals completely. |
| C．Taking on a job about protecting the Earth. |
| D．Adopting an environmental-friendly way of eating. |
| A．It is healthier. | B．It saves more time. |
| C．It provides more choices. | D．It helps shape good character. |
| A．Anxious and selfish. | B．Responsible and considerate. |
| C．Hardworking and independent. | D．Knowledgeable and quick-thinking. |
【推荐1】Lots of students know what a marathon (马拉松赛跑) is, but perhaps they don’t know what triathlon (铁人三项) is. The triathlon is a sport that has three parts swimming, bicycling and running. It is not an easy sport, but a man named Joe Salter is very good at it. A few months ago, he finished a special triathlon—he juggled (抛起接住) three balls all the time during the triathlon. That is to say, he kept on throwing and catching three balls while he was swimming, riding a bicycle and running.
31-year-old Joe is from Florida, the USA. He loves juggling and he started at the age of 8. Joe did well in juggling. Later, he got the idea to do a triathlon and juggle at the same time to make it more fun. Many juggling fans laughed at his idea and thought it was just a joke. But Joe didn’t give up and he kept practicing it. Because of his hard work, he made it at last.
Talking about his triathlon, Joe said swimming was the hardest part. “It was difficult and complex,” he said. “I basically only used my legs, so it took quite a lot of work. Also, swimming in open water made it a little harder. It was not like in a pool.”
1. According to the writer, the common (普通的) triathlon ________.| A．is a difficult sport |
| B．is more famous than the marathon |
| C．includes the three parts and juggling |
| D．includes the marathon and swimming |
| A．he picked up three balls |
| B．he played juggling |
| C．he carried his bicycle on his shoulder |
| D．he threw away all his balls |
| A．could not be realized |
| B．should not be laughed at |
| C．should be realized as soon as possible |
| D．could make triathlon more exciting |
| A．forgot | B．failed |
| C．succeeded | D．left |
| A．he swam in open water |
| B．his swimming skills were bad |
| C．he was very tired when swimming |
| D．he almost could only swim with his legs |
【推荐2】In 1665, Johannes Vermeer, one of the greatest painters in Netherlands, completed his masterpiece “Girl With a Pearl Earring.” On an April day 357 years later, Janine Strong slowed her bike to stop, paused her fitness app, and watched as the snaking line of her cycling route drew the shape of Vermeer’s masterpiece over the streets of Brooklyn.
Ms. Strong creates what has come to be known as “GPS art” — a practice that uses the Global Positioning System mapping capabilities of modern phone apps to create digital drawings with an athlete’s route. It has grown with the widespread availability of satellite tracking for use by ordinary people. In fact, the idea has been around since before the popularity of smartphones for fitness like Strava released in 2009.
In 2003, The New York Times Magazine told of how Jeremy Wood got the idea for GPS art. Mr. Wood said while he was using a GPS tracker on a flight and the plane flew in a holding pattern above Heath-row Airport, he was attracted by the pattern appearing on his Garmin GPS device. In recent years, technology has advanced enough to create visual maps in real time using a phone or smart watch.
“I get bored cycling on the same path in the same streets,” Ms. Strong said. “Creating GPS art gives me more reasons to hit the pavement, which makes cycling a lot easier. I always have a big smile on my face when it works out and I upload it and it’s done,” she added. “It’s a very satisfying feeling.”
To complete her digital vision of “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” she biked almost 50 miles around southern Brooklyn, carefully checking Strava to make sure each turn, circle, and straight line was achieving the shape of earring and head covering of Vermeer’s original.
1. What can we infer about Janine Strong in paragraph 1?| A．She tests a fitness app. | B．She is an innovative cyclist. |
| C．She likes pearl earrings. | D．She is a painter of some note. |
| A．It is rarely used by common people. | B．It arose after the popularity of fitness apps. |
| C．It is based on apps’ GPS mapping functions. | D．It is a practice of creating realistic drawings. |
| A．The origin of GPS art. | B．The prospect of GPS art. |
| C．The function of a GPS tracker. | D．The advancement of a GPS device. |
| A．Painting lovers. | B．Mobile game players. |
| C．Software developers. | D．Running enthusiasts. |
【推荐3】Adriana put down the knife, stepped back and looked at her finished painting. She was usually her own worst critic, but today Adriana was pleased with what she saw. Sunset was her best work yet! Not that her classmates would agree. Their reaction to her abstract art was always “What’s that supposed to be?” or “Artists use brushes to paint, not knives, string and cloth.” Still, she didn’t care. Adriana painted to please herself, not others.
When she showed the work to Mr. Marcus, her middle school art teacher, the net day, he shook his head and said sternly, “Please Adriana, I’ve had enough of this.” Anyone hearing this comment and its tone would naturally think Mr. Marcus was criticizing her work, but it was his frustration speaking. He loved Adriana’s paintings and had repeatedly begged her to show them publicly. She always refused.
As her middle school graduation approached, however, Adriana began worrying about university. Her parents would cover her study fees, but Adriana planned to pay for her university books, art supplies and accommodation herself. So, this time, when Mr. Marcus made the suggestion, Adriana agreed. A disbelieving grin appeared on Mr. Marcus’s face.
The following day, after checking the newspapers and visiting several local real estate offices, Adriana and Mr. Marcus wandered around the town looking for a suitable location. Finally, though, they could not find anything within their price range.
At the day’s end, the pair entered a small coffee shop to rest. Mr. Marcus could see the disappointment on Adriana’s face and, as a woman came to take their order, said, “Don't worry. We’ll find somewhere to show your art.” On hearing this, the woman said, “Did you say art? You know we show local artists’ works right here in the café,” pointing to the paintings hanging on the walls. “Bring a few of your pieces around tomorrow for me to look at. I’m Susan by the way, the owner.” After thanking Susan for her offer, Adriana and Mr. Marcus left the cafe in amazement.
The next morning Adriana brought along Sunset and Mr. Marcus the two paintings of Adriana’s he’d purchased earlier that year. Susan studied the paintings in silence, concentrating hard on each one. After what felt like a lifetime, she turned to Adriana and said, “I’d be honoured to hang these in my café.”
1. What can we learn about Adriana from the first paragraph?| A．She was very independent in her thinking. |
| B．She was not very popular with her classmates. |
| C．She was easily affected by other people’s opinions. |
| D．She was very confident in her own artistic abilities. |
| A．Strongly critical. |
| B．Very positive. |
| C．Somewhat frustrating. |
| D．A little confusing. |
| A．Her high school graduation was getting nearer. |
| B．She felt guilty about troubling Mr. Marcus. |
| C．Her parents were in desperate need of money. |
| D．She wanted to help support herself during university. |
| A．friendly encouragement |
| B．strong determination |
| C．careful planning |
| D．good luck |
