Is traffic a big problem where you live? Increased cycling may be the answer. Where are the best places to live and cycle? A new report lists the best bike-friendly cities around the world.
Top of the list is Amsterdam, the bike capital of the world. An incredible 40% of all traffic movements are by bicycle. There’s an extensive network of safe, fast and comfortable cycle routes. Copenhagen, the city of bikes, is a city where 32% of workers cycle to work because it’s fast and easy. Berlin is another European city that’s great for cycling. The city has about 80 kilometers of bike lanes, and 50 kilometers of pavement paths. Cycling accounts for 12% of total street traffic.
Barcelona has been praised for its cycle service “Bicing”. This was introduced in March 2007. It’s a bicycle service that allows users to take bicycles from any of the 100 stations spread around the city. Later, they can leave them at any other bike station inside the urban area of the city. The city has created a “green ring” that surrounds the city area of Barcelona with a bike path. There are 3,250 parking spaces for bikes at street level at present. Barcelona City is also building a new underground car park for bicycles.
The UK has its cycle-friendly cities too. Bristol is the birthplace of “Sustrans” —the cycle-route charity which was formed 30 years ago. One of their projects was turning an old rail line between Bristol and Bath into a bike route. Other bike-friendly cities in the UK include Cambridge and York Cambridge is an old city but has still managed to build good cycle infrastructure (基础设施), and cyclists are considered at every stage of any new developments.
Bicycle is a most popular means of transportation in China. Nowadays, riding a bicycle is also a good way to support low-carbon living. Beijing can be one of the best bike-friendly cities in China. There are many riding routes in Beijing for outdoor-lovers to explore. Cyclists can get close enough to experience the history and culture of Beijing, including the Forbidden City, Drum Tower, the Water Cube, the Bird’s Nest, Hutong etc.
1. In Amsterdam, traffic movements by bicycle account forA.80% | B.40% |
C.32% | D.12% |
A.There are 100 bike stations spread around the city. |
B.Cyclists can leave their bikes anywhere in the city. |
C.There were 3,250 parking spaces for bikes in 2007. |
D.Underground bike parking stations are everywhere. |
A.Beijing | B.Cambridge |
C.York | D.Bristol |
A.The history of cycling. | B.The best cities for cycling. |
C.The development of cycling. | D.The rules for cycling. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The fact that over 1.24 million people lose their lives each year in road accidents is a horrifying statistic that could soon be prevented. It should be of no surprise to understand that the autonomous vehicle industry is predicted to be worth $2.6 trillion a year within 15 years.
What's the future of personal transportation? Well, you'll likely be spending a lot less time behind the wheel, for one. The rise of self-driving cars means that some scenes out of science-fiction flicks(电影)(think Total Recall or I, Robot)are now reality—and even more will be available soon.
Cars today already include many semi-autonomous features, like assisted parking and self-braking systems. And completely autonomous vehicles—able to operate without human control—are rapidly becoming more of a reality. You're probably familiar with Google's version, which has made headlines with its Google Chauffeur software, which the company hopes to bring to market by 2020.
The pros of autonomous cars are many. "The sensors in a self-driving car are always observing, are not affected by the state of the driver(sleepy, angry, etc.), and can scan in multiple directions simultaneously(同时地)," says Dr. Dominique Freckmann, an automotive engineering manager at TE Connectivity, "Autonomous driving is a key aspect of the industry's drive toward safer roadways."
"Recent NHTSA research shows that approximately 94 percent of accidents are caused by human error," adds Alan Amici, a vice president of automotive engineering at TE. "Cars with advanced safety features and eventually, self-driving cars, can significantly reduce the number of collisions. The impact of this innovation can be far-reaching, including reduced demand on emergency response systems and reduced auto insurance and health care costs."
1. What is the author's attitude towards the autonomous vehicle industry?A.Positive. | B.Disapproving. |
C.Uncaring. | D.Doubtful. |
A.Because people believe Google will sell it in 2020. |
B.Because it is the most famous software of the company. |
C.Because people are all familiar with the famous software. |
D.Because it shows completely autonomous vehicles will be true. |
A.Self-driving will cost less than now. |
B.People will easily save a lot of time. |
C.Self-driving will be safer than now. |
D.People will rely more on auto insurance. |
A.To show his adoration of self-driving cars. |
B.To predict the future of personal transportation. |
C.To prevent so many road accidents caused by driving. |
D.To introduce the benefits of autonomous vehicle industry. |
【推荐2】China Train Guide
Quick Guide on China Train Travel
If you’re looking for an affordable and comfortable way to get around China, train travel is the way to go. Getting train information and cheap train tickets has never been easier. Online train ticket booking makes it easy for travelers to look through China’s train timetable, compare train fares, and look for ticket availability. Once you’ ve found a suitable train, you can book online and pick your tickets up at the train station or get them delivered to your home or hotel. Train tickets can be booked online a minimum of 35 minutes and a maximum of 60 days before departure.
How to choose train types
When you’re buying China train tickets online, you’ll notice that the journey duration (期) differs depending on which type of train you choose. China train types can be recognized by their letter codes G, D and C trains are high-speed trains, while Z, T and K are slower or overnight trains. China’s high-speed trains run between Chinese provincial capitals and first-tier Chinese cities. G trains (high-speed trains, standing for gāotiě) are China’ s bullet trains — the fastest trains with a maximum speed of 400 km/ h. Tickets for these trains are the most expensive.
How to buy train tickets
Unless you can read Chinese, there are only two ways to make train reservations in China:
— Online train ticket booking with a travel agency (up to 60 days before departure).
— At the train station / local ticket agency with your passport (up to 58 days before departure).
How to read train tickets
When reading your train ticket, please take note of the Chinese characters and Pinyin printed next to your departure / arrival city. Directions (North, South, East, and West) appear in Pinyin (Bei, Nan, Dong, and Xi), not English. Please make sure you are going to the correct train station.
1. If Mr. Smith needs to travel from Jinan to Beijing for something urgent, he’d better take ________..A.G trains | B.Z trains |
C.D trains | D.Overnight trains |
A.Native tourists. | B.Travel agencies. |
C.Businessmen. | D.Foreign travelers. |
A.It’s difficult to get train information in China. |
B.You can get on the train without tickets after booking online. |
C.Traveling by train in China is not very expensive. |
D.Train tickets online are available at any time within 60 days before you leave. |
【推荐3】If you want to do your kids a favor, consider having them walk to school. Walking to school provides many benefits – improving academic performance, reducing anxiety, boosting spirits, better sleep, a sense of independence, having an opportunity to familiarize oneself with a neighborhood, to notice small details, to feel a sense of wonder at the surroundings. The list goes on.
Parental fears still exist, however. Parents are terrified of cars, of injury, of harsh weather, of encounters with strangers and wild animals. These fears prevent parents from letting their kids do something that's actually enormously beneficial to them, despite the fact that removing an opportunity to be active contributes to an increase in childhood obesity, which can have a greater negative impact on a child's life than the risk of being injured due to being active.
How do we go from being a society that does not encourage its children to walk independently to being one that does? Parents must face their own discomfort with letting go. Brussoni, an expert who researches children's outdoor and risky play, said "We want to move parents from focusing solely on protecting their child to building trust in their child’s abilities and strategies to support their child’s skills in navigating the streetscape."
Schools can play a role by encouraging children to walk to school. Brussoni offers additional suggestions: "They should promote a culture that walking to school is the norm, help educate parents on why this is important, and consider closing the streets around the school to cars before and after school."
Parents might do well to put themselves in their children's shoes. As adults, we know how good a morning walk feels to start off a day or to end one. Walking energizes us and cheers us up, and it can do the same for children. As we go through this pandemic that has shaken up all of our lives, it's a good time to practice new routines and establish new habits. Walking to school is a great place to start.
1. What can we infer about kids’ usual way of going to school?A.They walk to school alone. | B.They are driven to school. |
C.They ride bikes to school. | D.They are led to school by teachers. |
A.Focus on their child’s safety. | B.Protect their child against injury. |
C.Believe their child’s abilities. | D.Strike traffic rules into their child’s heart. |
A.Schools. | B.Societies. | C.Governments. | D.Children. |
A.To illustrate the roles of parents and schools. |
B.To advise parents to have kids walk to school. |
C.To promote a way of establishing a new routine. |
D.To encourage kids to form a good habit. |
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a New Year address in Beijing at 19:30 on December 31, 2022. This is part of his New Year’s Day message:
Greetings to you all! The year 2023 is approaching! From Beijing, I send my best New Year wishes to all of you.
Since COVID-19 struck, we have put the people first and put life first all along. Following a science-based and targeted approach, we have adapted our COVID response in light of (按照) the evolving situation to protect the health of people to the greatest extent possible. Officials and the general public, particularly medical professionals and community workers, have bravely stuck to their posts through it all. With great efforts, we have prevailed over unprecedented difficulties and challenges, and it has not been an easy journey for anyone. We have now entered a new phase of COVID response where tough challenges remain. Everyone is holding on with great fortitude, and the light of hope is right in front of us.
To the many people who are still busy working at this very moment, I salute (致敬) you all! We are about to ring in the New Year. Let us welcome the first ray of sunshine of 2023 with the best wishes for a brighter future.
May our country enjoy prosperity and our people live in harmony.
Thank you!
A.Today’s China is a country where dreams become reality. |
B.None of these achievements would have been possible without the efforts of Chinese people. |
C.In 2022, we successfully held the 20th National Congress of the CPC. |
D.At this moment, I sincerely praise everyone’s fights and struggles. |
E.These showed the great achievements and powerful appearance of China |
F.May the world enjoy peace and people of all countries live in happiness. |
G.Let’s make an extra effort to overcome the hardship, as solidarity (团结) means victory. |
【推荐2】Italy’s Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo have been announced as the hosts of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Italy’s bid ahead of Stockholm, Sweden.
Skating sports and ice hockey will be held in Milan, while most skiing events will take place in the resort of Cortina. Other snow sports will be held in the Italian Alps, including Bormio and Livigno.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22. Cortina hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, while Turin staged the 2006 Winter Olympics.
There were only two bidders left that were considered suitable for the Winter Olympics after four other bidders — the Swiss city of Sion, Japan’s Sapporo, Graz in Austria and the Canadian city Calgary, which had earlier dropped out of the race with concerns over the event’s size and cost.
The results showed Milan-Cortina had received 47 out of the 82 votes cast. Sweden has never hosted a Winter Games before and received 34 votes.
IOC president Thomas Bach said: “Congratulations to Milan-Cortina. We can look forward to an outstanding Olympic Winter Games in a traditional winter sports country. The passion and knowledge of Italian fans, together with experienced sporting event operators, will create the perfect atmosphere for the best athletes in the world.”
Knowing the winning, Italian people shouted “Italia, Italia” as the decision was announced.
1. How many votes did Italy get?A.22. | B.34. | C.47. | D.82. |
A.All events will be held in Milan. | B.The 2026 Winter Olympics will last about two weeks. |
C.Sweden held the Winter Olympics once. | D.Calgary gave up the bid considering the time. |
A.Discouraged. | B.Surprised. | C.Doubtful. | D.Excited. |
A.The 2026 Winter Olympics Games |
B.The competition for holding Winter Olympic Games |
C.Italy’s successful bidding for 2026 Winter Olympic Games |
D.The introduction of Winter Olympics Games |
【推荐3】Canada Is Our Neighbour
Canada and the United States are neighbours.They are on the same land.They share the same long boundary(国界).These two nations are similar in many ways.Canada buys many goods from the United States.Cars and clothes are two examples.The United States also buys goods from Canada.Much of the paper used in the United States comes from Canada.Some of the oil we use comes from Canada,too.
Americans travel to Canada on holiday.And Canadians often visit the United States.It is easy for the people of one country to go to the other country.
Canadians read about the United States in newspapers and magazines.Many Americans watch Canadian baseball and hockey (曲棍球)matches on Sundays.
However,there are important differences between the United States and Canada.The United States has more people.
Because the population is smaller,there are more open places in Canada.There is much unused land.This is another important difference.
1. Canada buys from the United States.A.oil and paper | B.nothing | C.many things | D.everything |
A.Canadians | B.Americans | C.Chinese | D.students |
A.baseball | B.basketball |
C.newspapers | D.oil |
A.Canada has less people than the USA. |
B.Canada has not used all the land. |
C.Canada is connected with America. |
D.Canadians don’t like hockey. |
【推荐1】Weather could power the next generation of smart windows.Researchers have created glass by harvesting energy from wind and precipitation(降水). The approach offers an alternative to other smart windows powered by batteries, solar panels, and even standard power outlets.“The creation represents a new kind of renewable energy source, ”says Liming Dai, a nanomaterial engineer at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, who was not involved in the research.
Smart glass, which changes its characteristics to block out light, has been around for decades. Common examples include glarefighting rearview(后视) car mirrors and windows that change color for energy savings and privacy. But many are expensive, and people are still looking for ecofriendly ways to power the windows. Batteries and plugin outlets aren't apparently “green”, and builtin solar panels can cloud or hide parts of the glass.
In experiments, the glass produced up to 130 milliwatts per square meter, enough to power a pacemaker or a smart phone while it's asleep, the team reported online last month in ACS Nano. This output might suit many applications, such as being a power source for home or office electronics, says codeveloper and scientist Zhong Lin Wang of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Since their first project in 2012, a lightup sidewalk powered by footsteps, he and his colleagues have miniaturized(使小型化) their generators(发电机) to create everything from selfcleaning keyboards to sensors for security systems.
But Wang and his colleagues still have more work to do before this smart glass is ready for commercialization. Now, the glass has no way to store the energy it creates. To solve this problem, Dai says, transparent super capacitors(电容器) could be placed into the glass without decreasing visibility.
For now, the team wants to improve the energy efficiency of their nanogenerators. These tiny power plants can convert about 60% of the mechanical energy that they collect into electricity. “The output power is a constant goal, ”Wang says.“Free energy surrounds us, and anything can happen if you take control of it.”
1. What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?A.The research history of Zhong Lin Wang. |
B.The experimental process of Zhong Lin Wang. |
C.The experimental findings of Zhong Lin Wang's team. |
D.The research theory of Zhong Lin Wang's team. |
A.It cannot change its color according to weather. |
B.It cannot suit the super capacitors. |
C.It cannot power a smart phone. |
D.It cannot keep its produced electricity. |
A.Consume. | B.Waste |
C.Change. | D.Reserve. |
【推荐2】In many parts of the world, cars play an important role in daily life and many societies would not exist without them. So the idea that in 20 years’ time, no one will own cars may be hard to believe. But this is the prediction made by a team of transport researchers who are taken seriously, not only by government but also by car manufacturers.
The Human Science and Advanced Technology Institute at Loughborough in the UK is part of an international research program. The team there believes that by 2020 all cars will be computerized, which will mean much saving, no accidents and better use of roads. The super-intelligent car of the 2lst century will drive itself, and it will not be owned by one individual. Instead, we will have a choice of cars and change them as frequently as we change our clothing.
According to Dr. David Davis, who leads the research team, these predictions are based on the rising cost of the car culture, which had blocked up our cities, polluted our air, and caused more deaths than both world wars put together.
Davis says, cars will be fitted with some intelligent devices to regulate the distance between one car and another. The car will automatically speed up, or slow down, to match the speed of the car in front. Computers are much safer drivers than people, so cars in a road train will be able to drive much closer together than cars driven by people.
By 2010, Dr. David Davis believes, car technology will give motorists a clear view of the road, whatever the weather conditions, by projecting an image of the road ahead on to the car’s windscreen. And by 2020, cars will travel in convoy, linked to each other electronically. Cars will be connected by an electronic tow bar to the car in front to form “road trains”. “The front vehicle in such a train burns the normal amount.” says Davis. “But all the others in the train would burn about ten percent of the normal amount, and so produce about ten percent of the pollution.”
1. We know from the passage that governments and car manufacturers .A.do not believe the prediction that no one will own cars by 2020 |
B.are devoted to the technological revolution in car industry |
C.consider the predictions seriously |
D.have put the super-intelligent car into mass production |
A.The car will speed up out of control. |
B.We will own as many cars as we want. |
C.All cars will be driven by computers. |
D.Cars will produce more pollution than present ones. |
A.cars play a very important role in daily life |
B.many societies would stop functioning without cars |
C.cars should not be owned by one individual |
D.it causes many deaths to human society |
【推荐3】The Forbidden City is well known for being full of Chinese cultural and historical relics. But Masters in the Forbidden City(《我在故宫修文物》)does not just focus on the stories of the past.
Instead, the documentary movie, which came out in Chinese cinemas on Dec. 16, focuses on ordinary people-the restorers(修复者)of relics and antiquities(古董).
The stories are told at a slow and relaxed pace, reflecting the restorers’ work. Restoration of cultural relics and antiques can be time-consuming, and sometimes boring. Yet these restorers’ patience and peace of mind are especially precious in a society where everything is changing so fast.
“If you choose this job, you have to stand hours of work sitting on a chair. You need to be quiet and get used to being quiet,” says Wang Jin, an ancient clock repair expert.
A touching part of the documentary is the spirit of craftsmanship(工艺)in the restorers. “Years of humdrum work requires not only skill, but also faith and spirit,” China Daily commented. “Looking for preciseness and perfection, devoting yourself to work, patience, endurance(忍耐), loneliness…All these qualities come from the craftsman spirit. ”
But unlike the popular idea of serious experts who sit around being serious, the documentary shows off the enthusiasm of the restorers. They play their guitars and make jokes about each other after a long day of restoration work.
One scene that has been very popular with Internet users features a young female restorer riding a bicycle through the empty Forbidden City on a Monday. While she is doing this, a narrator says, “The last person to do this was Puyi, the last emperor of the Oing Dynasty.”
Masters in the Forbidden City has proved wrong many people’s ideas about antique restorers, allowing them to realize that they are not old, dull professors, but people in their 40s, 30s and even 20s who can be quite pleasing to the eye.
1. According to the text, what’s the main purpose of the documentary Masters in the Forbidden City?A.To show people how antiques are restored |
B.To display relics seldom seen by ordinary people |
C.To draw attention to Chinese antique restorers’ lives |
D.To praise the craftsmanship of Chinese antique restorers |
A.He often gets tired with his work | B.There is no need to do restoration work fast |
C.Antique restorers need to be patient and peaceful | D.It takes years of hard work to adapt to antique restoration |
A.Boring | B.Different | C.Relaxing | D.Unusual |
A.To remind the audience of the last Qing emperor |
B.To show the strange hobbies of young antique restorers |
C.To encourage the young to consider a career in antique restoration in the future |
D.To show that the documentary breaks from the old, dull image of antique restorers |
【推荐1】Some scientists say that animals in the ocean are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings.
The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
Decibels (分贝)measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of one hundred and twenty decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decibel level of one hundred and ninety-five would have the same effect. Some scientists have proposed setting a noise limit of one hundred and twenty decibels in oceans. They have observed that noises at that level can frighten and confuse whales.
A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that louder noises can seriously injure some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing. This seriously affected the whales' ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected.
Many researchers whose work depends on ocean sounds object to a limit of one hundred and twenty decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
Scientists do not know how much and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean.
1. According to the passage, which of the following is increasingly dangerous to sea creatures?A.The man-made noises. | B.The noises made by themselves. |
C.The sound of earthquakes. | D.The sound of the ice-breaking, |
A.The ocean animal’s reaction to noises. |
B.Different places with different types of noises. |
C.The human ears sensitive to all types of noises. |
D.The same noise on land measured differently in the ocean. |
A.They are deaf to noises. |
B.Noises at a certain level may hurt them. |
C.They are easily confused by noises. |
D.Noises will limit their ability to reproduce. |
A.They will try their best to decrease noise. |
B.They will work hard to cut down noise pollution. |
C.They will study the effect of different noises. |
D.They will protect animals from harmful noises. |
【推荐2】From my hotel room window, I see an oversized billboard with his face on it: Jason, the Great Magician.
I absent-mindedly turn the pages of the phone book and come across a city map. Sipping my iced latté, I run my fingers along the streets from the hotel to the opera hall. Not more than a half-hour walk.
I glance at the clock. The show starts in one hour. Plenty of time! I gulp the last three sips of my latté and hop in the shower. Soon I’m on my way to the show, carrying a fancy black handbag and a genuine smile.
The billboard looks even more impressive from outside. The Great Jason's eyes seem to be glancing through me. I shiver and walk faster. I feel like a child about to open her birthday presents.
The hall is dark when I come in; the show is about to begin. I make my way backstage just as the great magician puts on his top hat.
''Daddy, I'm so glad to see you, '' I say in a half-whisper. ''I'm in town for the writer’s workshop, but I just couldn't miss your show. '' I give him a quick hug and go back into the seating area, leaving him with a startled smile. I settle down in the darkness, and the curtains open.
Magically, that show remains the Great Jason's best performance to this day.
1. The underlined sentence indicates the writer is .A.embarrassed and hesitant | B.brave and determined |
C.nervous and excited | D.surprised and frightened |
A.To go to the workshop. | B.To visit the magician. |
C.To enjoy the performance. | D.To help people in need. |
A.The person the writer will work with. | B.The father of the writer. |
C.The greatest performer ever. | D.The unknown magician. |
【推荐3】CAREERS&MANAGEMENT
Many large companies now use applicant-tracking systems(ATSs). As the name suggests, such systems help recruiters track and manage applicants. They also select the best candidates and filter out the rest. How can you make sure that your application gets past the robots and reaches a human recruiter? Here’s what the expert, DEBORAH CAPRAS, says.
Use the right format(格式)
Most applications are removed because they are not formatted in way these systems can read and interpret: Amanda Augustine, career expert at Presumption, explains to CNBC Make It. Check which format is specified in the job ad before you upload your application. It’s usually Microsoft Word format.
Keep it simple
Avoid columns and tables, as many systems have problems recognizing where these start and end. According to Alludes, a specialist recruitment company, you should keep the structure and format simple. “Don’t get fancy”, advises Alludes on its blog. Use standard fonts(Arial or Caliban). Excessive formatting or decorative elements might present an unreadable mess to the ATSs.
Stick to traditions
Use traditional categories, such as “Achievements”, “Education”, “Professional qualifications”, “Skills” and “Work experience”. These systems are programmed to sort the information into such categories. “There is no standard you have to follow,” says Nick Francis of Silencer, “but you should stick to the most popular or most frequently used ones to be safe.” he tells CNBC Make It.
Understand the algorithms(算法)
“ATS algorithms aren’t that different from the human algorithms,” Jon Shields, marketing manager at Jacobson, tells The Muse. “We’re all kind of skimming for the same things,” he says. The system first skims your application for specific key words, then it ranks candidates who match the job description well. This doesn’t mean you should copy and paste directly from the job description into your application. You should reuse expressions that are recognized industry terms. This is important when listing job titles, qualifications or achievements. If you’re not sure which ones to include, use an online tool to find the right words. Basically, even if you are highly qualified, unless you include the right search terms in your application, a human recruiter will never meet you.
1. Applicant-tracking systems(ATSs)are used for ________.A.formatting the uploaded applications |
B.collecting applicants’ data from their applications |
C.helping companies find qualified candidates |
D.promoting applicants’ career development |
A.Check the format used in your application before uploading it. |
B.Keep the structure and format of your application simple. |
C.Stick to the most popular or frequently used categories. |
D.Avoid using expressions that are recognized industry terms. |
A.where applicants should send their applications. |
B.how applicants could get their applications past ATSs. |
C.what applicants must do in preparing for an interview. |
D.why ATS algorithms work in the same way as human’s. |