【推荐1】Commuters of the future could get some relief from congested roads especially the peak-hour traffic if Uber’s plans for flying taxis work out.

The battery-powered aircraft looks like a cross between a small plane and a helicopter, with fixed wings and rotors (旋转器). It was presented at an international technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

Catering for the need of shorter city travel time, the vehicle is intended to soar over traffic congestion. Uber hopes it will eventually become a form of convenient mass transport and cost commuters aboard less than using their own car, though initially it will be more expensive than that, Uber’s Chief Product Officer Jeff Holden said.

The scheme still faces plenty of challenges, including certification of the new vehicle by authorities, pilot training and constructing urban air traffic management systems that prevent collisions.

Holden declared that Uber is joining NASA’s project to expand air traffic systems, which scores of other companies already belong to.

He told The Associated Press in an interview that he has no dollar figure for the total investment. He said Uber is putting some of its own money into the project, developing software, while other investors are also involved, such as aircraft manufacturers that are developing the vehicle and real estate companies that are providing so-called “skyports” where people will catch their airborne taxi.

Uber is making a bid to reform and polish up its image which has been damaged by certain negative news. Holden said those episodes did not slow development of the flying taxi project of the great company that is in transition.

1. What result is Uber’s flying taxis aimed to achieve?

A．Shorter city travel time.	B．Smooth flow of traffic.
C．Higher economic efficiency.	D．Convenience of people’s life.

2. Which of the statement is correct according to Holden?

A．Flying taxis are more cost-effective than driving private cars.

B．Uber has to cooperate with NASA to reach it’s goal.

C．The success of this project, if possible, will polish up Uber’s image.

D．The final achievement of Uber’s goal relies not only on the company itself.

3. What does the underlined word “episodes” in the paragraph probably mean?

A．trouble	B．exchange
C．incident	D．process

4. What is implied in the last paragraph?

A．Uber is committed to developing the flying taxi project.

B．Uber is to accomplish it’s transition period in the near future.

C．Uber’s reputation used to be ruined by rumors.

D．Uber has recovered from it’s damaged image.

【推荐2】“It’s a big hammer to crack a nut.” This is how one angry parent described the recent crackdown (严厉的打击) by London police on parents who drop their kids off at school by car. Yes, you read that correctly—the very way of transportation that many American schools insist is the only safe way to deliver kids to school is now considered illegal in the UK.

The decision to fine any vehicles seen dropping off or picking up kids within a particular zone of east London comes from city councillors’ (议员) long-term efforts to make the area safer and less crowded. They say they’ve been trying for years “to encourage reasonable parking”, but in vain. Neighborhood residents complain frequently about their driveways being blocked by illegally parked cars for 15 minutes or more, often while they’re trying to get to work, and the streets are long overcrowded.

Now the rules have changed. Some parents are angry. Angie is a mother who made the “big hammer” comment and says the crackdown is “way over the top.” The nearest drop-off point for her six-year-old is now a five-minute walk from the school. Others are happy with the decision, serious though it may seem. Councillor Jason Frost said:

“Traffic has significantly reduced, and more children are now walking to school, which is a great result. I would rather have complaints that we are slightly inconveniencing parents than hear that a child had been seriously injured because nothing was done.”

I see daily the disorder created by these in-town drivers, when I walk my own kids to school. There’s a parking lot crowded with vehicles and a slow-moving train of cars moving in circles, many filling the air with harmful smoke. Meanwhile, the conversations around overweight children and the importance of daily physical activities continue to stand out in schools.

1. Why is Angie Baillieul against the new rule?

A．She will lose her job as a school driver.

B．She has adapted to the American practice.

C．She thinks it adds inconvenience to her kid.

D．She is often fined by London police.

2. What concerned Jason Frost most?

A．Students’ health.

B．Students’ safety.

C．Parents’ inconvenience.

D．People’s complaints.

3. What can be seen after the crackdown is carried out?

A．Favor from all people.

B．More over-weight children.

C．Complaints from neighbors.

D．Less daily disorder.

4. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．London police cause widespread anger

B．American schools care about kids’ safety

C．Different voices are heard on a new traffic policy

D．Parents attempt to resist（抵制） a school rule

【推荐3】Just as regulation has helped increase fuel efficiency, cut exhaust smokes and introduce anti-slip equipment, so government involvement is needed to get the connected car on the road. It is beginning to happen. Earlier this year, Europe’s standards-setting agencies agreed a common set of agreements for cars and traffic infrastructure (基建) to communicate. Others should follow. Governments should then set firm deadlines for all new cars to be fully connected and capable of matching, and a date for existing cars to be re-improved with a basic locator beacon (定位器) and the ability to receive risky warnings.

If cars are to connect, new infrastructure will have to be built. Roads and parking spaces will need sensors to monitor them; motorways will need specific lanes for matching. But this will not necessarily be expensive. Upgrading traffic signals so they can be controlled remotely by a central traffic management system is a lot cheaper than building new roads.

The sooner these changes are made, and cars are plugged into a smart traffic section, the quicker Singaporean variable pricing — for parking as well as road use — can become the criterion. Motorists will then have the motive, as well as the ability, to avoid the busiest places at the busiest times, and the horrible death that roads take in human lives should start falling.

In the past, more people driving meant more roads, more jams, more death and more smokes. In the future, the connected car could offer mankind the pleasures of the road with rather less of the pain.

1. What do governments truly expect of the connected car?

A．It’ll be standard-friendly.	B．It’ll get fully prepared soon.
C．It’ll be under command.	D．It’ll promote infrastructure.

2. What will happen if traffic signals are to upgrade?

A．More sensors are offered by the companies.

B．More special roads are needed by motorists.

C．The whole project is more economical to operate.

D．The whole society is crazier about the new cars.

3. Which is most UNLIKELY to benefit from such changes?

A．Motorists.	B．Singaporeans’ pricing.
C．Road death.	D．Traditional traffic sections.

4. Which best describes the author’s attitude in the text?

A．Positive.	B．Critical.
C．Objective.	D．Doubtful.

【推荐1】阅读理解。

A tender woman, or an independent one, which one would you prefer? A recent research shows that most people would choose the latter.

This type of woman is called a nühanzi (“tough woman”). Experts believe these characteristics have social and psychological roots among young females in China. Su Hao’s friends all call her a tough woman, because she can finish tough tasks usually carried out by men. For example, she carries 10-litre water to her dormitory on the 5th floor. “I depend on no one but myself,” she says.

According to a recent survey by China Youth Daily, tough women have become rather common in society. Of the 21,265 respondents, 78.5 percent said they are familiar with a tough woman. About 50 percent said they like women with tough characteristics, while less than 29 percent expressed the opposite view.

Why are tough women gaining popularity? Shen Meng, a psychological consultant, believes the fierce competition in society is contributing to this trend. “Women are often in a disadvantaged position compared to men,” Shen says. “In order to survive, they have to be independent, strong and tough.”

Liu Xiaolin, professor of psychology at Wuhan Mental Health Center, believes tough women are brought up this way. They are often on close relationship with their fathers, who teach their daughters to be brave and decisive,” he says. As a result, these women are more likely to be psychologically healthy and more tolerant to stress, according to Liu.

Though Liu believes that this is a good trend, Hu Shenzhi, a psychologist at the Guangdong Sunflower Counseling Center, says the popularity of tough woman indicates an unclear line between gender identities, which can lead to relationship problems. “Some women with characteristics that differ from the traditional female image may have a difficult time finding Mr Right,” he says.“Even if they get married, their manly characteristics might cause family conflicts.

1. Which of the followings does NOT belong to the characteristics of a tough woman?

A．She is independent of others in daily life.

B．She is soft and tender to others.

C．She is more tolerant to stress.

D．She can solve problems usually for men.

2. How many respondents like tough women?

A．About 10,600.	B．About 16,700.
C．21,265.	D．About 6,200.

3. Why are there more tough women nowadays?

A．Because tough women are more lovely.

B．Because more women want to be independent.

C．Because girls often love fathers more.

D．Because of the fierce competition in society.

4. What problems may tough women have in their life?

A．It’s difficult for them to be friends.

B．They often suffer gender confusion.

C．They may have difficulty with marriage.

D．They have different characteristics form traditional female images.

【推荐2】What do you do with old stuff? That dress you bought for a party three years ago, for example. You wore it once and put it away somewhere. So, what to do?

In the UK, we might take it to a charity shop. The first charity shops appeared in Britain in the 19th century. The Salvation Army was one of the first to run a second-hand clothing shop to provide the needy with affordable clothes. This was followed by charities such as the British Red Cross, who also relieved hardship and raised money for the war effort during World War Two. In 1947, Oxfam opened a charity shop in High Street, Oxford, which is the modern form we know today. These days, charily shops are a common sight with around 11,200 shops across the UK, according to the survey conducted by the Charity Retail Association. During business hours the public can donate their unwanted items to a charity shop clothes, books, electronics, furniture. These items are checked for wear and tear and if found still serviceable, priced up to be sold at a heavily discounted price.

For many, this is a win-win situation. To the charity, it means a valuable source of income. To the consumer, it provides the opportunity to buy, often extremely cheaply, items and clothes. To the donator, it may help to assuage consumer guilt. “You can make a pretty good case to yourself that you are doing good, because what you are doing is going towards a charitable cause and you are saving stuff from landfill(垃圾堆),” Clare Press, fashion journalist and sustainable style advocate, tells the Guardian.

There are sometimes hidden treasures for the buyers, too. Take a screen print for example. It was bought for 99p and later found to be by English artist Ben Nicholson. It was sold for £ 4, 200. So next time you need to rid yourself of something, spare a thought for the charity shop—after all, charity begins at home!

1. The text is mainly written to_______.

A．comment on the benefits of charity shops

B．analyze the popularity of the UK charities

C．list the names of the first UK charity shops

D．offer an introduction of UK charity shops

2. What does the underlined word “assuage” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Ease.	B．Add.
C．Mix.	D．Increase.

3. What does the author advise people to do in the last paragraph?

A．Get rid of unwanted items.	B．Start charity from daily life.
C．Be environmentally friendly.	D．Make a difference for the future.

【推荐3】Getting old might not be something that's yet to cross your mind.But ageing is inevitably going to get the better of us one day, so it's something I'm sure we'd all like control.It would be great to have a long, healthy and happy life, and that's why scientists are constantly seeking out evidence that will show us what we need to do to achieve longevity.

We all know that regular exercise is good for us.In recent years we're been told to aim to walk 10,000 steps a day to remain healthy, although other advice to do three brief 10-minute walks a day is thought to be even more effective.But the latest piece of research might put a spring in your step if you're someone who walks at a fast pace.That's because, according to scientists, the speed at which people walk in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains, as well as their bodies, are ageing.

The BBC's Philippa Roxby writes that tests on 1,000 people from New Zealand born in the 1970s found that slower walkers tended to show signs of "accelerated ageing： Their lungs, teeth and immune systems were in worse shape than those who walked faster.And to add insult to injury, the study found not only did slower walkers' bodies age more quickly, their faces looked older and they hand smaller brains.Professor Terrie E Moffitt, lead author of the study, told the BBC: "It found that a slow walk is problem sign decades before old age：

This might be seen as a wake - up call for people with a slower pace who might feel it's time to work out and get fitter.But it might be too late; researchers writing in JAMA Network Open say they were able to predict the walking speed of 45 - year- olds using the results of intelligence, language and motor skills tests from when they were aged three.They also suggest that even in early life, there are signs showing which people will go on to have a healthier life.

So, what's the point of knowing that a slower walking pace might mean a smaller brain? Well, researchers say measuring walking speed at a younger age, and understanding what this might mean, could be a way of testing treatments to slow human ageing.This might help us make lifestyle changes while we're still young and healthy.Taking steps to prolong a good mental and physical state is a no brainer!

1. The underlined part in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to______.

A．withdraw your footsteps	B．accelerate your pace
C．decrease your walking speed	D．highlight your fast movement

2. What can be learned from the study by Philippa Roxby and Terrie E Moffitt?

A．Due to increased ageing problem, people become less physically healthy which leads to their slower walking.

B．When people choose to walk fast, they tend to look younger than when they choose to walk slowly.

C．Slow walking can be probably used to predict aging problem decades before one grows old.

D．People with small brains walk more slowly than those with big brains.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．We will definitely try to find ways to make us healthier.

B．By checking one's walking speed at a young age, we can prevent fast aging from happening.

C．If one walks slowly, there's no chance that he will live a long life.

D．The outcomes of people's IQ tests can provide information for us to foresee one's walking speed.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Researches on Slow Walking	B．Slow Walking VS Fast Walking
C．Slow Walking and Ageing	D．Why Slow Walking ages us