5 . At the beginning of the 21st century China had no high-speed railways. Slow and uncomfortable trains ran across this ________ country, making journeys such as Shanghai-Beijing a test of the traveler’s ________.

Today, it’s a completely ________ picture. The country has the world’s largest network of high-speed railways. The lines of a total 37,900 kilometers across the country ________ all of its major mega-cities, and all have been completed ________ since 2008. The network is expected to double ________ again, to over 70,000 kilometers, by 2035.

Much like Japan’s Shinkansen (新干线) in the 1960s, they are a symbol of the country’s rising economic power, ________ modernization, growing technological capability and increasing prosperity. But the process to today’s ________ was never easy. The large size of China and its great ________ in geology (地质) and climate have ________ the railway engineers with incredible challenges. From sometimes ________ Harbin in the far north to the always hot and humid (潮湿的) Pearl River Delta cities, and from Lanzhou to Urumqi across the Gobi Desert, China’s engineers have quickly ________ unique techniques in driving railways over, under and through whatever ________ in their path.

China’s high-speed railway system is now trying to connect ________ countries, like extending southeast to Laos and Thailand, crossing the Himalayas to India and Pakistan, and ________ Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

6 . Getting around Venice by travelling along its water ways is a delight for all visitors. Apart from offering unforgettable views of the architecture, the city's transportations are convenient, efficient, and also relatively inexpensive.

PASSES

Instead of paying EUR 7 per ride, a better option is to purchase one of ACTV's passes, which offer unlimited travel for 1 day (EUR 20), 2 days (EUR 30), 3 days (EUR 40) or 1 week (EUR 60). For children and young people between the ages of 6 and 29, ACTV offers a special "Rolling Venice" 3-day pass (EUR 29).

BY GONDOLA

Considered by many as the most symbolic feature of Venice, today gondolas circulate most often on canals in the centre of the city, carrying tourists on rides at fixed rates, which tend to be rather high. A 40-minute ride costs around EUR 100, but may be shared by as many as six passengers.

BY RENTAL BOAT

It is possible to rent a boat to travel around Venice's canals. A boating permit is not required, but you will need to pass a basic turning and docking test before being allowed to rent a boat. Rates start at EUR 30 per hour.

BY WATER TAXI

Getting around by water taxi in Venice is most costly, but can be a convenient option when you are in a hurry or need to carry a lot of luggage. The initial charge is EUR 15, then EUR 2 per minute. If you have more than one bag per passenger, there is a charge of EUR 3 for each additional piece.

Note: There are only four fueling stations for boats in Venice. Make sure you note their locations before heading out.

The future of driverless cars is fast becoming     1     reality. All the major car companies have plans to produce them-BMW, for example, have announced that they are launching a self-driving model in 2021.

But drivers of the first self-driving cars won’t be able to relax and watch a video.     2     (fortune), these cars can still get     3     (confuse) about what they’re “seeing”, and a human driver will need to take control sometimes. This is clearly necessary-the test driver of an early Tesla car on Autopilot     4     (die) in a crash while watching a Harry Potter DVD.

Accidents such as these may cause people to reject the idea of the driverless cars altogether.     5    , it’s predicted that driverless cars will reduce accidents     6     90%, and so millions of deaths could be avoided in future.

Most experts agree that we are not going to have true driverless cars on our roads     7     after 2030. Even then, it won’t be possible to drive anywhere you want. Driverless cars need digital maps with extreme     8     (accurate), and it’s not easy to produce these for all areas, particularly in the countryside.

    9     problem is that self-driving cars can be too careful. They won’t take enough risks and might wait too long for clear     10     (open) in the traffic, which could cause even bigger traffic jams!

9 . As one of the largest and most experienced global airlines throughout the COVID-19 crisis, you can rely on us to take you on your next journey safely. We continue to ensure that our safety and hygiene (卫生) measures are of the highest standard, with new procedures operated throughout your journey, from check-in to arrival at your destination.

Check in online

Check in online to reduce interactions at the airport. Download your boarding pass to your phone through the Qatar Airways app or print your boarding pass at home.

Face masks

We now require all passengers to wear a face mask at all times, throughout the entire journey. To ensure you are comfortable, we recommend bringing your own from home. See exempted (免除的) passengers below.

Avoid travel if you are unwell

If you have experienced symptoms of COVID-19 within the past 14 days, we require you not to travel. We have plenty of options for you to rebook your flight.

Arrive at least three hours before your flight

There may be delays at the airport due to extra check in procedures. Ensure you have plenty of time to check in safely and make your way to your gate.

Physical distancing

Please ensure you maintain a 1.5-metre distance from other passengers at all times, especially during the check-in and boarding process.

Face masks on all flights to and from the United States of America (USA)

Children below two years of age (including infants), on all flights to and from the USA, are not required to wear a face mask. The refusal to wear a face mask by all other passengers, except those who are medically exempt, is against the USA Federal Law and may get punished.

10 . Over a decade ago, when Francesco Galietti had to travel from Rome (罗马) to Milan (米兰) for work, he used to fly the nearly 400-mile distance. Today, he takes the train.

Galietti, CEO of a Rome — based company, is not alone. Over two thirds of people traveling between Rome and Milan now take the train. It takes as little as 2 hours and 49 minutes. And, of course, the train stations are in the city center, so there’s no need to turn up long before your train — the doors close two minutes before departure. “Think about a half-hour drive to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, checking in 90 minutes before flying, an hour in the air and then landing outside Linate Airport of Milan, the closest, and then about 20 minutes’ drive into town — well, I’d prefer not to bother so much,” said Galietti.

Today’s high-speed railway system is a far cry from the railway network of Italy’s past, when trains were slow, outdated and usually late. Now Italy is the only country in the world to have two high-speed train operators. Trenitalia, the state operator, has its Frecce trains running roughly in a T shape from the north to the south across the country. Meanwhile, Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori, a private company which runs its Italo trains, covers 54 cities a day. Italy is also home to the world’s first high-speed freight (货运) service.

Besides the above reasons, natural scientists think it “correct” to choose trains. “I feel it a duty — the train is one of the most reliable (可靠的) ways to reduce your carbon footprint,” said Carlo Barbante, the director of the Institute of Polar Sciences in Venice.

These are why Alitalia, Italy’s national airline, was killed. As Alitalia flights took off for the last time on October 14. the two leading competitors — the Frecce and Italo trains — are going from strength to strength.