1 . Lanrick Jr. Bennett holds a unique title in Toronto: bicycle mayor. He led a Halloween Kidical Mass ride recently, which I attended with my daughter, son-in-law, their two dogs, and my granddaughter. He is working towards making cycling mainstream and safe for all residents in the city. I did not know that Toronto had a bicycle mayor; I surely would have voted for him in an election.
The bicycle mayor program is run by BYCS, an Amsterdam-based global NGO that believes “bicycles transform cities and cities transform the world”. Standing in the strange but wonderful Bentway, a park built under an elevated expressway, Bennett says, “BYCS has 150 bicycle mayors across the world. And through a few friends putting in some really nice letters of encouragement, BYCS offered me a two-year term as an advocate here in the city of Toronto, becoming the first bicycle mayor of the city.”
Bennett says he is boosting the work being done to make cycling more mainstream in Toronto. “I am giving a bit more exposure to the great work that has allowed me to be able to ride a bike throughout the city. It’s getting better, we’re seeing more infrastructure (基础设施), and we’re seeing more people not wanting to depend on cars as their primary piece. I’m happy that I have been part of a fantastic group thus far,” says Bennett.
Since there’s still a lot of work to do, Lanrick Jr. Bennett has been working hard to improve cycling conditions in Toronto, and his efforts have been recognized by the community. He has been advocating for more bike lanes (车道), better lighting, and other safety measures to make cycling a practical option for commuters (通勤者). It’s great to see people like Lanrick.
Jr. Bennett working towards making cycling safe and accessible for all residents.
1. What can we say about the author?| A．She is fond of varieties of outdoor activities. |
| B．She is supportive of efforts to promote cycling. |
| C．She is planning to participate in the election for mayor. |
| D．She is trying to make cycling the mainstream of the city. |
| A．The way Bennett got his position. | B．Transformation of Toronto city. |
| C．Bennett’s ambition to change the world. | D．Mayor’s deeds throughout the world. |
| A．Upset. | B．Challenged. | C．Curious. | D．Satisfied. |
| A．It is the best in the world due to the presence of BYCS. |
| B．It has already well-developed and does not require improvement. |
| C．It is improving, but further work and development are still needed. |
| D．It is virtually non-existent, making Bennett’s job extremely important. |
2 . I used to be really frustrated when I got “trapped” in the train station in New York. When this happened, I spent time “observing” people and found that New York City trains formed “an underground NYC”.
I met with all kinds of people there. Sitting in trains coming from suburban boroughs (区) like Queens and Brooklyn, I saw babysitters and housekeepers, in white or pink uniforms, carrying a shopping bag with lunch and another prettier bag for their makeup. Some gentlemen in suits got squeezed (挤) in between ladies, reading the New York Times, holding Starbucks coffees and a piece of napkin.
The passengers’ skin color would get lighter as the train went from suburban areas to uptown NYC. Clothes brands changed from “Nike” and “Babyphat” to “Armani” and “Prada”.
Getting lost is not embarrassing at all. Even New Yorkers who have lived in the city for 20 years need to check out the map before going to a new place by train. People from other states are just as confused as foreigners when they are “thrown” underground.
It was funny when people carrying big backpacks and holding maps, asked me where they could transfer while I was trying to find an exit. I often said, “I’m sorry. I am trying to find my way out, too.” I felt really bad about not being able to help them. To my surprise, the two guys with blue eyes didn’t look disappointed at all. They laughed and told me, “Oh, we are wondering if there’s really an exit because we have been walking around here for 10 minutes and we still don’t know where to transfer to the uptown train!”
NYC trains are just like doors rotating (旋转) on and on. If I hadn’t got lost several times, I might not have had the chance to stop and see what was happening outside my block.
1. How did the author describe the gentlemen he saw in the trains?| A．They were dressed in white uniforms. |
| B．They took a shopping bag with lunch. |
| C．They made way for women passengers. |
| D．They carried coffees and read a newspaper. |
| A．The train went from uptown NYC to a suburb. |
| B．The train went from a suburb to uptown NYC. |
| C．The train went from uptown NYC to downtown NYC. |
| D．The train went from downtown NYC to uptown NYC. |
| A．It is normal for people not to find their way in the train stations. |
| B．New Yorkers are quite familiar with the way in the train stations. |
| C．People from other states are often ignored by New Yorkers in the train stations. |
| D．People from other states are more confused than foreigners in the train stations. |
| A．They wanted to know how to get out of the station. |
| B．They lost something very important in the train station. |
| C．They didn’t know where to buy train tickets in the station. |
| D．They had no idea how to change trains to their destination. |
| A．By bike. | B．By bus. | C．By car. |
1. Where does the woman want to go?
| A．A park. | B．A museum. | C．A parking lot. |
| A．20 minutes. | B．25minutes. | C．30 minutes. |
| A．Lead the man to her car. |
| B．Follow the man’s advice. |
| C．Reserve a train ticket. |
1. Where does the conversation take place?
| A．In a travel agency. | B．In a bar. | C．In a hotel. |
| A．50 minutes. | B．25 minutes. | C．15 minutes. |
| A．Pay the bill. | B．Take a bus. | C．Receive the receipt. |
| A．Have a drink. | B．Write a thank-you note. | C．Sign the guest book. |
1. What is the woman probably?
| A．A travel agent. | B．A hotel receptionist. | C．A flight attendant. |
| A．By subway. | B．By train. | C．By cab. |
| A．Have a second thought. | B．Ring the woman. | C．Book а flight. |
| A．Healthy diets. | B．Good sleep quality. |
| C．Cost efficiency. | D．Sense of safety. |
| A．They are equipped with computers. | B．They are technology-supported. |
| C．They can keep weather records. | D．They have several electricity panels. |
| A．Delivering food to those who need it. |
| B．Taking friends anywhere in the world. |
| C．Streaming videos of their new way of life. |
| D．Meeting the basic needs of people in remote areas. |
| A．It is acceptable. | B．It is expensive. |
| C．It is out of date. | D．It is problematic. |
8 . It’s a known fact that emissions (排放物) from gas-powered vehicles are harming the atmosphere. In response to this, Porsche, the German sports car company, began producing e-fuels at a pilot plant in Chile last year. Currently, the fuel will be used only in sports cars at Porsche’s performance and experience centers.
E-fuels are made by passing electricity through water. The electricity separates the hydrogen and oxygen from water. The hydrogen is then mixed with CO₂ to produce a liquid e-fuel, which can be produced using many renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. E-fuels follow the chemical structure of gasoline, making it possible for gas-powered cars to run on e-fuels almost without any change.
E-fuels can help ease the transform away from gas-powered cars, for those who may not be able to afford electric vehicles (EV). It will also help to reduce waste by keeping gas-powered cars in service, instead of throwing them away prematurely. Additionally, the use of e-fuels will not require new facility to be built unlike EVs. Existing gas stations and cars will be able to stay in use, which is already a big saving.
Despite the many benefits, opinions differ on whether e-fuels are truly eco-friendly. E-fuels are widely said to be nearly carbon neutral (碳中和), although an independent study indicates that e-fuels release the same amount of CO₂ as gasoline. Since e-fuels are still being developed and tested, their true impacts are still unknown. Meanwhile, e-fuels are very expensive to produce, partly due to energy loss during production. Unfortunately, only about half of the energy used in producing e-fuels is actually transformed into fuel. Additionally, only about 16% of the energy used in e-fuel production is actually used to power the car. Whereas, about 70% of energy is preserved when powering an EV. Even though the use of e-fuels will preserve existing facility, it will still take time and money to integrate it into everyday life. Currently, the price of e-fuels is nearly double the cost of regular fuel.
E-fuels are still a work in progress. Though opinions are divided on e-fuels, with more testing and development, they have been considered another way to help fight against the climate crisis. “There are currently more than 1.3 billion vehicles with combustion (内燃) engines worldwide. Many of these will be on the roads for decades to come, and e-fuels offer the owners of existing cars a nearly carbon-neutral alternative. With the e-fuels pilot plant, Porsche is playing a leading role in this development,” said Michael Steiner, member of the Executive Board for Development and Research at Porsche AG.
1. What can we learn from this passage?| A．E-fuels release no CO₂. |
| B．E-fuels were tested in Germany at first. |
| C．E-fuels are applicable to gas-powered cars. |
| D．E-fuels need to be mixed with CO₂ in actual use. |
| A．draw a conclusion. | B．present an opinion |
| C．further a discussion | D．provide a solution |
| A．Positive. | B．Dismissive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Objective. |
1. Why does the man make a phone call?
| A．To cancel a scheduled flight. |
| B．To book his flight in advance. |
| C．To confirm his flight information again. |
| A．At 10:40 am. | B．At 11:00 pm. | C．At 2:00 pm. |
| A．By subway. | B．By car. | C．By bike. |
