2 . The world’s first fully electric plane has flown successfully for almost 15 minutes. The world’s first fully electric commercial aircraft took its first test flight on Tuesday, taking off from the Canadian city of Vancouver and offering hope that airlines may one day end their polluting emissions.

“This proves that commercial airmail in all-electric form can work,” said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of Seattle-based engineering firm MagniX. The company designed the plane’s motor and worked in partnership with Harbour Air, which carries half a million passengers a year between Vancouver, Whistler ski resort and nearby islands and coastal communities. Ganzarski said the technology would mean significant cost savings for airlines—not to mention zero emissions. “This signifies the start of the electric airmail age,” he told reporters.

Civil airmail is one of the fastest growing sources of carbon emissions as people increasingly take to the skies and new technologies have been slow to make remarkable progress. At 285 grammes of CO₂ emitted per kilometre (mile) travelled by each passenger, airline industry emissions far exceed those from all other transport, according to the European Environment Agency.

The e-plane—a 62-year-old, six-passenger DHC –2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane improved on with an electric motor—was piloted by Greg McDougall, founder and CEO of Harbour Air. “For me that flight was just like flying a Beaver, but it was a Beaver on electric steroids (电动兴奋剂). I actually had to turn off the power button,” he said. McDougall took the plane in a short circle along the Fraser River near Vancouver International Airport in front of around 100 onlookers soon after sunrise.

1. What can we know from the first fully electric plane’s success?

A．The flying time of e-plane is 15 minutes at most.

B．The fully electric commercial airmail has functioned.

C．Airlines may realize the goal of zero emissions.

D．The fully electric plane never does damage to the environment.

2. What does the underlined word “signifies” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Means.

B．Proves.

C．Changes.

D．Follows.

3. What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A．The pollution caused by passengers.	B．The backward airmail technology.
C．The current situation of civil airmail.	D．The growing sources of carbon emissions.

4. What is Greg McDougall’s attitude towards the successful e-plane?

A．Shocked.

B．Positive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Objective.

3 . What is the man mostly worried about?

A．The noisy plane.

B．The safety of the airplane.

C．The service of the flight attendant.

4 . Arriving at London Gatwick

Distance(距离) from central London: 28 miles/45 km
For travel information call: +44 (0)870 000 24 68.

How to get to the city centre

By train

The Gatwick Express goes from Gatwick Airport to London Victoria train and underground station in central London.

Trains go every 15 minutes and the journey to central London takes half an hour.

First Class tickets cost £ 25 (single), £ 48 (return).

Express Class costs £ 17 (single), £ 29 (return).

Southern Trains services run four times an hour to Victoria with a journey time of around 35 minutes.

By taxi

There are taxis outside the airport day and night. The journey to central London takes 55-70 minutes. A London taxi takes up to 5 people.

The average(平均的)cost from the airport to central London is £ 75- £ 100.

By car

Gatwick Airport is 28 miles (45 km) south of London. There are 4 car parks next to the airport and there are car rental (租赁) offices open from 8:00 to 18:00. The journey to London takes 60-75 minutes.

All cars pay a special £ 8 charge(收费) to go into central London.

By bus

National Express and EasyBus have services to central London. EasyBus services go every 20 minutes. The journey takes one hour and costs £ 2.

There is one National Express bus an hour. The journey takes 90 minutes and costs £ 7.60.

1. Someone in a hurry to Victoria station had better travel _____.

A．by train	B．by car
C．by taxi	D．by bus

2. What does traveling by taxi and car have in common?

A．They cost the same.	B．They're available at any time.
C．They require a special E 8 charge.	D．They take a similar period of time.

3. Which of the following goes three times an hour?

A．Gatwick Express.	B．National Express.
C．Easy Bus.	D．Southern Trains.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A short notice.	B．A travel guide.
C．A city introduction.	D．A TV advertisement.

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式，并将答案转写到答题卡上。

Thank you very much for your letter. Your trip sounds exciting! I can't wait to hear what Africa is like.

Since my last letter to you, I have had a little adventure of     1     (I) own. Early this month, my mother and I took a     2     (fly) to Dunhuang, in the north-west of China. The desert out there was really quite amazing—I had never seen so much sand in my life! While we were there, we     3     (arrange) with a tour company to ride.     4    (camel). I was very excited because this was the first time I had seen one up     5     (closely). We had hoped that we would get to see some other wildlife on our trip, but sadly we didn't.

Since you are going to the Sahara, I have some advice—be sure     6     (bring) a large hat and a shirt with long sleeves—you'll need these     7     protection. The sun can be so brilliant you'll need to keep covered or you'll get     8    (burn)—my cheeks were red for days after my trip. And another thing, you'll need to keep.     9     good supply of water with you, since it is so dry and hot.

I'm sure you'll have a nice trip. I look forward to     10     (receive) your postcards!

6 . People have been enjoying the benefits of cycling（骑自行车） in Amsterdam(阿姆斯特丹) for years. It is a good city for cycling because it is flat and there are plenty of places for bicycle parking. Today some people call Amsterdam “City of Bicycles” because of the convenience for bicycles there.

In the 1960s, a group of cycling fans had an idea. They believed that it would be better for everybody if cars weren’t allowed in the city center and only bicycles were. They were hopeful that this would help to save energy, reduce pollution and provide free public transport. The group painted hundreds of bicycles white and placed them in lots of neighborhoods around Amsterdam for people to use. Then a problem came-- thieves took all the bicycles within weeks!

However, more than thirty years later, the “white bike’ is back in town--this time with a computer chip（芯片） to record its every move! To take a bicycle, you have to insert(插入) a special card. The new “ white bike” is not actually white but is an unusual design with bright colours. The bikes are parked at special parking places and people who want to use them have to take them to another special parking place that has enough room.

There is already less traffic in central Amsterdam, because both locals and tourists have been using the white bikes. Instead, thanks to the good ideas of lots of people, like the cycling fans in the 1960s, many people around the world have been enjoying city centre streets without cars many years.

1. Amsterdam is called the “City of Bicycles” because of_________.

A．the cycling fans there	B．the appearance for bicycles
C．the convenience of bicycles	D．the quality of bicycles

2. In the 1960s, some cycling fans hoped bikes could_________．

A．be specially designed	B．help to save energy
C．be placed anywhere	D．be painted in different colours

3. Why did the first “white bike” plan fail?

A．There were not enough parking places.

B．The government allowed people to drive cars freely.

C．Thieves took all the bikes within weeks.

D．People were tired of riding bikes.

4. What do people use if they want to take a “white bike” in the city?

A．A special computer.	B．A common chip.
C．A special card.	D．A white key.

7 . All China’s major cities have good transport     1     (network). There are the tour buses, mini buses, taxis, as well as public buses,

Buses in Chinese towns are always     2     (crowd). The fare depends on distance, and is payable to the     3     (conduct) of buses.

A taxi is often     4     most convenient means of travel in the City. They are available at airports, railway stations and hotels and even in urban areas. The total fare depends on the starting meter price,     5     can range from 5 to 12 yuan, and the distance. Extra fees     6     (charge) for waiting and low speed driving during traffic jams. If you take a taxi after 11 pm, a 20 percent surcharge applies over the basic fare.

The minibus is a compromise between the     7     (relative) expensive taxis and full public transport. Their charge is a little more than that of the bus, about 2 yuan or more     8     (depend) on distance, but it is very convenient, because it can stop     9     any point you want along the route.

Tour buses, normally     10     (equip) with air conditioning and TV, are managed by travel agencies, hotels and airports and provided for short tours. A tour guide is usually present on such buses.

8 . The Hangzhou-Changsha section of the Shanghai-Kunming(Hu-Kun) high speed rail(高铁) officially started operation on Dec 10, 2014. The Changsha-Huaihua(Chang-Huai) section of the Hu-Kun high speed rail was also opened to traffic a week later.

“It is no longer a dream" for Changsha residents to "leave for a trip without hesitation", said Changsha Evening, as it is really convenient either to go eastward or westward from Changsha.

During the trial operation of the Chang-Huai section on Dec 9, the G6521 train left Changsha South Railway Station at 8:40 am, arrived at Xiangtan North Station at 8:54 am, Loudi South Station at 9:22 am, and Huaihua South Station at 10:28 am.

Before the opening of the high speed rail. Changsha had 13 regular trains to Huaihua, the fastest of which, the Z149, leaves Changsha at about 6:00 am and arrives at Huaihua at nearly 12:00 am, being more than four hours slower than the high speed train.

The total length of the high speed rail in Hunan province is now more than 1,000 km, covering 10 out of the total 14 prefecture level(地区级的) cities or autonomous districts-much higher than the national average level.

1. When was the Changsha-Huaihua section opened to traffic in 2014?

A．Dec 3.	B．Dec 10.
C．Nov 17.	D．Dec 17.

2. Which is the right direction of the Chang-Huai high speed rail according to the text?

A．From the east to the west.	B．From the south to the north.
C．From the east to the south.	D．From the south to the east.

3. How long does it take the Z149 train from Changsha to Huaihua?

A．3 hours.	B．6 hours.
C．9 hours.	D．12 hours.

4. Where can this text probably be found?

A．In t story book.	B．In a science book.
C．In a newspaper.	D．In a fashion magazine.

9 . Back in 2003 an 86-year-old man drove his Buick through a crowded farmers’ market. Nine people were killed. More than fifty-four people were hurt, fourteen with serious injuries. When he finally stopped, the 86-year-old man got out his car and screamed at people to get out of the way. No alcohol or drugs were found in his system. Apparently, he was just old and confused.
This is a frightening accident, and it is not a rare one. There are many examples of elderly drivers driving into swimming pools, houses, storefronts, or worse.
In our teenage years, we all heard “driving is not a right; it’s a privilege.” That is still true, and there comes an age when driving is no longer aprivilege that can be allowed. After a certain age, eyesight anddementia(痴呆) are very serious concerns. Undoubtedly,these age-related problems affect some older adults’ driving ability. By the time a person is between eighty-five and ninety years old, his or her driving privilege should be examined.
Licensing laws vary greatly from state to state, and it’s time for a national law on the maximum age limit for driving. The motivation for this law is safety. Another option is to start with laws that ban anyone over the age of eighty-five from driving after sundown, because driving conditions are not as safe as daylight hours. Still another option that may allow elderly drivers to continue driving could be new technology like a voice warning system that cautions drivers on busy streets or at traffic lights. Finally, since there are laws against driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, shouldn’t some prescription drugs also be included? The average age of 85-year-old is undoubtedly taking at least one prescription drug daily.
The thought of an 86-year-old driver with failing eyesight running down the road in a two-ton piece of metal is unsettling to us all. Driving at an advanced age is not only challenging for the elderly drivers, but also it’s dangerous for the rest of us.
1. The first paragraph is written in order to show_________.

A．the harm of driving at an old age

B．the importance of traffic safety

C．traffic accidents are on the rise

D．many elderly drivers are careless

2. The author suggests that there should be new laws against driving __________.

A．over eighty-five

B．between sunset and dawn

C．with the help of voice warning systems

D．under the influence of prescription drugs

3. The underlined word “unsettling” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to “________”.

A．disappointing	B．worrying
C．touching	D．interesting

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．How to keep old people safe on the road?

B．Are drivers well protected by licensing laws?

C．Should there be an age limit for elderly drivers?

D．Is driving a right or a privilege for an old person?

10 . China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them, all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I’ve found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However, people still use their bicycles to get around. For many, it’s the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors --- silver, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.

It’s fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks. Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can’t provide.

Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and started home.

My first ride home was orderly (守秩序的). To be safe, I stayed with a “pack” of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn’t want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.

Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.

I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.

1. According to the author, why are bicycles still popular in China today?

A．Because they are traditional and safe.

B．Because they are convenient and inexpensive.

C．Because they are colorful and available.

D．Because they are fast and environment friendly.

2. The author decided to buy a bicycle because he intended __________.

A．to ride it for fun	B．to use it for transport
C．to experience local culture	D．to improve his riding skills

3. How did the author feel about his street crossing？

A．It was boring.	B．It was difficult.
C．It was lively.	D．It was wonderful.

4. Which of the following best describes the author’s biking experience

A．The author enjoyed showing off his biking skills.

B．The author was annoyed by the air while riding.

C．The author was praised by the other bikers.

D．The author took great pleasure in biking.