1 . In February, before the outbreak of Covid-19, I sold my old-style car. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal: I live in London within walking distance of three subway stations and countless bus stops. I own a bike; there are taxis and supermarket delivery services, and I joined a car-share program, all of which can save me a big sum of money to fund my future green transport.
Then the lockdown(封锁) happened and being car-free suddenly felt like a big deal. I couldn’t get a supermarket delivery. I couldn’t take my broken garden chairs to the recycling centre. And a few days into lockdown, somebody stole my bike!
When the lockdown stopped, it just got worse. I was eager to go to the countryside or beach, but taking public transport or taxi felt like too much of a risk. The car share program turned out to be unbelievably difficult to deal with—every area has its own rules about where you can and can’t park, and taking car-share vehicle(车辆) beyond the city is impossible. And renting car is clearly expensive and time-consuming.
So last month I did a U-turn. I felt guilty but also a sense of satisfaction: I had tried, but the pandemic(疫情) beat me. Most of all, I got freedom, sitting behind the wheel(方向盘) and getting to wherever I want. Don’t get me wrong. I still expect to travel without creating greenhouse gases and pollution. But life in a pandemic has drawn attention to some of the disadvantages of public transport, such as time and money wasted on the road to offices and the risk of Covid-19. It has also stressed our need to review our relationship with the environment. Problems with public transport have meant that the ownership and use of a car has become quite a useful thing.
1. Why did the author sell his car in the first paragraph?| A．His car was too old to drive. |
| B．He tried to lead a greener life. |
| C．He felt a car was no longer useful. |
| D．He wanted to get a big sum of money. |
| A．I bought a new car. |
| B．I made a tough decision. |
| C．I broke the lockdown rules. |
| D．I chose another path to life. |
| A．doubtful | B．concerned |
| C．positive | D．uncertain |
| A．A greener choice in life |
| B．Back behind the wheel |
| C．How to survive the lockdown |
| D．The disadvantages of public transport |
1. When does the conference(会议) begin?
| A．At 3：30 | B．At 4：00 | C．At 4：30 |
| A．There was something wrong with the taxi |
| B．They got stuck in a traffic jam |
| C．They got lost on the street |
| A．Because she woke up late |
| B．Because the traffic was bad |
| C．Because she had a traffic accident |
3 . Stewart Island Ferry Services
While most visitors spend at least one night on Stewart Island, it is also readily accessible by ferry as a day excursion(远足) from Invercargill and Bluff. Experience Foveaux Strait in comfort and style on board our express catamarans(快艇). During the one-hour crossing between Bluff and Stewart Island keep a lookout for wildlife, especially seabirds.
Free tea and coffee on board.
Interpretation handouts are available (English only).
Wheelchair access available.
Personal baggage is carried free on the ferries—max. two bags per person. Additional baggage is by advance arrangement.
Vehicle parking available at Bluff (extra cost—reservations recommended).
| FERRY TO STEWART ISLAND Depart Bluff All year 9:30 a.m. Sep—May 5:00 p.m. Oct—Apr 11:00 a.m. Jun—Aug 4:30 p.m. Late Dec—mid Jan 8:00 a.m. | FERRY TO BLUFF Depart Stewart Island All year 8:00 a.m. Sep—May 3:30 p.m. Oct—Mar 6:00 p.m. Apr 5:00 p.m. Jun—Aug 3:00 p.m. Late Dec—mid Jan 9:30 a.m. |
| Other departures as locally advertised Duration 1hr Check in 30 minutes before to the scheduled departure time. (Check-in and boarding gates are closed 10 minutes before to times stated above.) | |
Attention
Buy 2 or more different excursions and SAVE 20% off all lower priced!
Kids Go FREE on selected departures during NZ School Holidays!
Kids Go FREE for travel 20 April—5 May 2020!
1. If leaving a car at Bluff, a traveler had better _____.| A．refer to the handouts first | B．use wheelchair access |
| C．make a reservation | D．park it 30 minutes before departure time |
| A．At 8:00 a.m.. | B．At 9:30 a.m.. |
| C．At 11:00 a.m.. | D．At 3:00 p.m.. |
| A．Tea and coffee are free for passengers. |
| B．Children go free for travel for about 15 days. |
| C．Travelers can see some seabirds during the crossing. |
| D．Passengers have to pay extra cost for extra pieces of luggage. |
4 . Notice of fare increase and bus schedule changes
Due to budget cuts and a review of reduction of routes in thinly populated areas, the Department of Transportation will be making the following changes to the city’s bus services. The effective date of these changes will be April 1, 2020.
Fare increase
Cash fares on all bus routes will increase by $0.25 from $2.25 to $2.50. Student tickets will increase by $0.10 from $1.40 to $1.50. Ticket prices for passengers under 12 and over 65 will remain the same at $0.75. Transit Passes will also be increasing, from $95 to $105 per month.
Bus schedule changes
Service reductions: Service will be reduced on Bus #45 (Airport to Downtown) and Bus #18 (San Peters to Aracade Mall) from noon until 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The frequency of the service will be changed from every 12 minutes to every 15 minutes.
Service changes: Changes will be made to the routes of Bus #6 (Downtown to Orange Park) and Bus #85 (Downtown to Orchard Church). The new last northbound (向北的) bus will leave downtown at 10:05 p.m., and the new last southbound bus will leave the particular stations at 10:02 p.m.
Schedule change: To help with the traffic flow due to the school dismissal (放学) times of both Renege High and Alltie Elementary, Bus #73 will change its eastbound trip to operate 10 minutes later. The trips will leave Renege High at 2:45, 2:56, 3:05, and 3:16 p.m.
1. Why is the city cutting back some routes?| A．Most citizens were upset about the buses being too noisy. |
| B．Some neighborhoods don’t have many people living there. |
| C．Government officials seldom take public transport. |
| D．Students don’t need to ride public buses any more. |
| A．$2.50. | B．$2.25. |
| C．$1.50. | D．$0.75. |
| A．Bus #85. | B．Bus #73. |
| C．Bus #18. | D．Bus #6. |
5 . During my third year of university, I spent six months studying in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Many are worried about travelling to Rio but I promise, it is worth a visit. Now I want to share my top recommendations (推荐) for experiencing Rio less as a tourist but more like a native Brazilian.
Pedra Bonita
Rio is full of hiking routes, and some Brazilians love to spend an afternoon hiking. My favorite route of all has to be Pedra Bonita. Pedra Bonita involves a steep climb of about an hour through tall trees, and I admit it is difficult in Rio’s heat, but you are rewarded at the top with a wonderful view of the city, standing high above the green landscape and blue sea below.
Mureta da Urca
One thing you are sure to find in Rio is an amazing sunset, but a lot of the best spots tend to be full of tourists. In my opinion, Mureta da Urca is the most relaxing place to watch the sun set over the silver sea, with the figure of Christ the Redeemer standing tall in the background.
Pedra do Sal
Pedra do Sal is a historical area in the city centre and on Monday nights it is brought to life by the sound of samba. Hundreds of people gather in the street, food and drink stalls are set up and it becomes a giant street party with everyone enjoying the happy sound of live samba!
Picanha
If there were one Brazilian food I could bring back to the UK, it would be picanha. It is the tastiest cut of steak I have ever tasted, served alongside rice and beans.
1. The writer once went to Rio de Janeiro to ________.| A．stay there as a tourist for six months |
| B．study as a short-time international student |
| C．live as a native Brazilian |
| D．learn how to be a native Brazilian |
| A．Pedra Bonita. | B．Mureta da Urca. |
| C．Pedra do Sal. | D．Picanha. |
| A．A wonderful view of the city. | B．An amazing sunset. |
| C．A giant street party. | D．A nice Brazilian food. |
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Tim,
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
| A．On a bus. | B．On a train. | C．On a plane. |
8 . Terrafugia Inc. said Monday that its new flying car has completed its first flight, bringing the company closer to its goal of selling the flying car within the next year. The vehicle — named the Transition — has two seats, four wheels and wings that fold up so it can be driven like a car. The Transition, which flew at 1,400 feet for eight minutes last month, can reach around 70 miles per hour on the road and 115 in the air. It flies using a 23-gallon tank of gas and burns 5 gallons per hour in the air. On the ground, it gets 35 miles per gallon.
Around 100 people have already put down a $10,000 deposit（定金） to get a Transition when they go on sale, and those numbers will rise after Terrafugia introduces the Transition to the public later this week at the New York Auto Show. But don’t expect it to show up in too many driveways. It’s expected to cost as much as $279,000. And it won’t help if you’re stuck in traffic. The car needs a runway.
Inventors have been trying to make flying cars since the 1930s, according to Robert Mann, an airline industry expert. But Mann thinks Terrafugia has come closer than anyone to making the flying car a reality. The government has already permitted the company to use special materials to make it easier for the vehicle to fly. The Transition is now going through crash tests to make sure it meets federal safety standards.
Mann said Terrafugia was helped by the Federal Aviation Administration’s (联邦航空管理局) decision five years ago to create a separate set of standards for light sport aircraft, which are lower than those for pilots of larger planes. Terrafugia says an owner would need to pass a test and complete 20 hours of flying time to be able to fly the Transition, a requirement pilots would find relatively easy to meet.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The advantages of flying cars. |
| B．The basic data of the Transition. |
| C．The possible market for flying cars. |
| D．The designers of the Transition. |
| A．It causes traffic jams. | B．It is difficult to operate. | C．It is very expensive. | D．It burns too much fuel. |
| A．The government supports it. | B．The government is against it. |
| C．The government sets higher standards to discourage it | D．The government thinks it is on the way out. |
| A．Flying Car at Auto Show | B．The Transition’s First Flight |
| C．Pilots’ Dream Coming True | D．Flying Car Closer to Reality |
| A．He has lost his way. |
| B．He isn't a native of this city. |
| C．He is busy talking with the old lady. |
10 . “It’s a big hammer to crack a nut.” This is how one angry parent described the recent crackdown(强制措施)by London police on parents who drop their kids off at school by car. Yes, you read that correctly—the very mode of transportation that many American schools insist—the only safe way to deliver kids to school is now being criminalized in the United Kingdom.
The decision to fine any vehicles seen dropping off or picking up kids with in 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 sensible driving and 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 Baillieul 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, severe though it may seem. Councillor Jason Frost said ：
“Traffic has significantly reduced，and more children are now walking to school, which is a great outcome. 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 witness daily the chaos created by these in-town drivers，when I walk my own kids to school. There’s a parking lot overflowing with vehicles and a slow-moving train of cars moving in circles，many filling the air with harmful smokes. Meanwhile, the conversations around child over-weight and the importance of daily physical activity continue to stand out in schools.
1. Why is Angie Baillieul opposed to the new rule?| A．She is often fined by London police. | B．She will lose her job as a school driver. |
| C．She has adapted to the American practice. | D．She thinks it adds inconvenience to her son. |
| A．On account of massive complaints. | B．Because of heavy traffic jams. |
| C．Owing to safety concern. | D．Due to air pollution. |
| A．Less daily chaos. | B．Favor from all people. |
| C．More over-weight children. | D．Complaints from neighbors. |
| A．Parents attempt to resist a school rule. |
| B．London police cause widespread anger. |
| C．American schools care about kids7 safety. |
| D．Different voices are heard on a new traffic policy. |
