1.目前汽车带来的空气污染和交通堵塞等问题；
2. 骑自行车的益处，如能环保有利健康等。
注意：1.词数：120词左右；演讲稿开头已给出，但不计入总词数。
2.参考词汇：低碳生活（low-carbon life） 节能 (energy saving)
Good morning, everyone,
I am Li Hua from Xingguang Middle School. The topic of my speech is “Let’s Ride Bicycles”.
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2 . You may have experienced the annoyance of being fined because of parking illegally or finding your car towed away(拖走)after leaving it parked somewhere for a couple of minutes. But now a high-tech car sticker that’s designed to be stuck to a car’s windscreen could help motorists avoid such a situation.
The Tow Stop sticker sends a text message to a driver when touched by a traffic policeman, to allow motorists to send a reply and give them time to move their cars immediately. Frankfurt-based IT consultant, Daniel Kalliontzis, came up with the idea and is raising money to put his £43 sticker into production.
Car owners can put the sticker inside their car’s windscreen, having set it up with key information, such as their phone number. The slim design will include a sensor(传感器)that, when touched by a traffic policeman, will send a text message warning a driver of a possible fine. The driver could then type a reply for the policeman using a smart phone, which will appear on the sticker’s screen.
The smart sticker system will rely on the good will of traffic policemen and in a way, a German law. The law states: an officer has to choose the most efficient and inexpensive way for the car owner to remove the vehicle. It could be cheaper for the government to call the driver than to tow his car.
Mail Online asked the Department of Transport whether the sticker could be used in the UK in a similar way. A spokesman said, “In England there is no legal duty to warn the motorist before issuing the ticket. However, a policeman does have the discretion not to issue a ticket if he doesn’t think the situation is that bad or he just wants to issue a warning.”
So far, Mr. Kalliontzis has raised just over £2, 362 of his £39, 381 goal. If he manages to raise the money, the stickers will be shipped in June 2015. But it appears that car owners using the smart system could get some unnecessary warning messages, because anyone could touch the smart sticker.
1. The author wrote the third paragraph to _______________.| A．explain how a smart car sticker works |
| B．advise drivers to buy a car sticker |
| C．show the importance of a sensor |
| D．tell drivers how to park a car |
| A．car owners don’t have to worry about a parking ticket |
| B．smart car stickers wouldn’t work as well as in Germany |
| C．traffic policemen prefer to call a driver rather than tow his car |
| D．the Department of Transport thinks highly of smart car stickers |
| A．trouble |
| B．pressure |
| C．freedom |
| D．opportunity |
| A．Daniel Kalliontzis-a great inventor. |
| B．Environment-friendly car stickers. |
| C．Parking systems in Europe. |
| D．End of the parking ticket? |
3 . They are the little sweeties who look pretty cute in a photo, or when sleeping——but a lot less appealing at 30,000 ft, crying loudly in the seat fight next to you.
According to a new survey, almost seven in ten Britons dislike flying with babies so much that they would like to see child-free areas introduced on planes. As for long-distance flights where people want to sleep, almost one in four British travelers believes that no-kid-zones should be fixed as required sections.
The survey was conducted by bookings website LateDeals. co. uk, with 1, 108 UK consumers questioned as to what they hate most about air travel.
And our dislike of noisy children and babies on planes runs deep. it seems.
More than a third of us—35 per cent—would pay extra to travel on a childless service.
Long-distance passengers would be prepared to pay an additional £63 to the cost of a return ticket if it meant adults only on board. And on short-distance flights, an extra £28 on the price of a return fare would be considered good value if it guaranteed an absence of angry babies in the middle of the economy-class aisle(走道).
However, screaming babies are not the only source of annoyance for British travelers. In fact, according to the research on the most annoying types of airline passengers, a crying baby ranks as only the fourth. Over half of those surveyed—58 percent—selected ‘drunk travelers’ as their pet peeves. People with ‘bad personal hygiene(卫生)’ and travelers who kick the back of the seat in front were also near the top of the list, causing anger to 48 and 47 per cent of us respectively(分别地).
Crying babies came in at fourth on the list, a pet peeve for 43 per cent of those surveyed.
1. Britons dislike flying with babies because they_________.| A．make too much noise |
| B．get angry easily |
| C．sleep right next to them |
| D．stay in the economy-class aisle |
| A．About 35%. |
| B．About 43%. |
| C．About 70%. |
| D．About 58%. |
| A．The crying babies on a flight. |
| B．People with bad personal hygiene. |
| C．Those who have drunk too much alcohol. |
| D．Those who kick the back of the seat in front. |
DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, organized the race as part of a push to develop robotic vehicles for future battlefields. But the Grand Challenge, as it was called, just proved how difficult it is to get a car to speed across an unfamiliar desert without human guidance. One had its brake lock up in the starting area. Another began by throwing itself onto a wall. Another got tied up by bushes near the road after 1.9 miles.
One turned upside down. One took off in entirely the wrong direction and had to be disabled by remote control. One went a little more than a mile and rushed into a fence; another managed to go for six miles but stuck on a rock. The “winner”， if there was any, reached 7.8 miles before it ran into a long narrow hole, and the front wheels caught on fire.
“You get a lot of respect for natural abilities of the living things，” says Reinhold Behringe, who helped design two of the carsize vehicles for a company called SciAutonics.“Even ants can do all these tasks effortlessly. It's very hard for us to put these abilities into our machines.”
The robotic vehicles, though with necessary modern equipment such as advanced computers and GPS guidance, had trouble figuring out fast enough the blocks ahead that a twoyearold human recognizes immediately. Sure, that very young child, who has just only learned to walk, may not think to wipe apple juice off her face, but she already knows that when there's a cookie in the kitchen she has to climb up the table, and that when she gets to the cookie it will taste good. She is more advanced, even months old, than any machine humans have designed.
1. Watchers doubted if any of the vehicles could finish the race because ________.
| A．they did not have any human guidance |
| B．the road was not familiar to the drivers |
| C．the distance was too long for the vehicles |
| D．the prize money was unattractive to the drivers |
| A．can do effortlessly whatever tasks living things can |
| B．can take part in a race across 142miles with a time limit |
| C．can show off their ability to turn themselves upside down |
| D．can move from place to place without being driven by human beings |
| A．for a robotic vehicle to finish a 142mile race without any difficulties |
| B．for a little child who has just learned to walk to reach the cookie on the table |
| C．for a robotic vehicle to deal with a simple problem that a little child can solve |
| D．for a little child to understand the importance of wiping apple juice off his/her face |
5 . The private automobile (私家车) has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.
For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools.
Family life has been affected (影响) in various ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can’t keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws. Mothers of victims (受害者) of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies (悲剧). They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization, SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading the same message among their friends.
For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans.
1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?| A．Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities. |
| B．Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics. |
| C．Cars have enabled people to live far from their place of work. |
| D．Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools. |
| A．Parents have paid more attention to their children. |
| B．Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving. |
| C．Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol. |
| D．University students have asked the government to solve the problem. |
| A．it will be more difficult for people to get new cars |
| B．parents will not allow their children to have their own cars |
| C．the government will encourage people to use public transportation |
| D．cars will still be popular though they have caused many problems |
On Wednesday, news reports came that Beijing transport authorities will take measures to stop the illegal “taxi business” of private cars through the newly rising Internet apps, following the footsteps of Shenyang and Nanjing.
It is not yet clear how the Shenyang city government will handle the issue and whether it will declare the services offered by market leaders such as Didi Dache, a taxi-hiring app provider backed by Tencent Holdings, and Kuaidi Dache illegal. But Shanghai transport regulators have set a rule, by banning Didi Zhuanche, or car services offered by Didi Dache in December.
Such regulations will cause a setback to the car-hiring companies and investors that are waiting to cash in on the potentially booming business. Just last month, Didi Dache got $700 million in funding from global investors, including Singapore state investment company Temasek Holdings, Russian investment company DST Global and Tencent. Besides, the market is uncertain that Kuaidi Dache is about to finalize its latest round of funding after getting $800 million from global investors.
Regulatory uncertainties, however, could cast a shadow on the future of the Internet-based car-hiring services, which have become popular in most of China’s big cities. To be fair, these companies’ business model is anything but bad. For example, Didi Zhuanche works side by side with established car rental companies to provide high-end car service mainly for businesspeople through the Internet and mobile phone apps.
Every link in this business model chain has legal companies and services. Hence, it is hard to define it as illegal and ban it.
1. Why did taxi drivers in Shenyang block the streets with their vehicles?
| A．Because they wanted the authority to increase their driving allowances. |
| B．Because they wanted to be taught how to use the taxi-hiring apps. |
| C．Because they wanted to make their main complaints known to the authority. |
| D．Because they wanted to appeal to passengers not to hire the private cars. |
| A．positive | B．negative | C．neutral | D．unclear |
| A．The problem referred to in the passage exists in all cities |
| B．App-based car rental is functional to some degree |
| C．The government should regulate the app-based car rental market |
| D．Didi Dache is a China-foreign joint company |
| A．Shenyang forbade apps-based car rental companies |
| B．Shanghai is the second city banning Didi Zhuanche |
| C．some international investment companies have strong faith in the future of apps-based car rental companies |
| D．it is not difficult to picture the apps-based car rental companies illegal |
It may sound risky, but many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don’t branch out beyond friends when asking on Twitter just like me, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern.
“I think the digital connection of young people is really key, because younger generations grew up sharing things online, sharing files, photos, music, etc, so they have been very used to sharing,” said Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College.
The sharing economy got big during the recession（经济衰退）, allowing people to access more goods and services using technology and even to share cost. And that technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom.
According to the researchers at the University of Michigan, 30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver’s license compared to six in ten today. So it’s not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn’t rushing to get a license but an iPhone.
“Driving, for young people, does mean they have to disconnect from their technology, and that’s a negative. So if they could sit in the passenger side and still be connected, that’s going to be a plus,” Schor continued.
To me, another plus is that ridesharing represents something, something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, some of us still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on Twitter.
1. The American teens like me, prefer to possess an iPhone as a birthday gift because ______.
| A．it is most fashionable and cool |
| B．they are bored with driving cars |
| C．they are fond of being connected |
| D．it is much cheaper than a car |
| A．young people will sit waiting to be contacted by reading a passage |
| B．sharing economy is bound to be responsible for the recession |
| C．young people tend to share a car with strangers by means of Twitter |
| D．being connected via technology comes first for young people |
| A．Twitter, an Awesome Website |
| B．Cars or iPhone |
| C．Teens Use Twitter to Thumb Rides |
| D．Cool Teens on the Go |
A SydneyPass gives you unlimited and flexible travel on the Explorer Buses: the ‘red’ Sydney Explorer shows you around our exciting city sights while the ‘blue’ Bondi Explorer visits Sydney Harbour bays and famous beaches. Take to the water on one of three magnificent daily harbor cruises (游船). You can also travel free on regular Sydney Buses, Sydney Ferries or CityRail services (limited area), so you can go to every corner of this beautiful city.
Imagine browsing at Darling Harbour, tasting the famous seafood at Watsons Bay or enjoying the city lights on an evening ferry cruise. The possibilities and plans are endless with a SydneyPass. Wherever you decide to go, remember that bookings are not required on any of our services so tickets are treated on a first in, first seated basis.
SydneyPasses are available for 3, 5 or 7 days for use over a 7-calendar-day period. With a 3 or 5-day pass you choose on which days out of the 7 you want to use it. All SydneyPasses include a free Airport Express inward trip before starting your 3, 5 or 7 days, and the return trip is valid for 2 months from the first day your ticket was used.
SydneyPass Fares
| Adult | Child* | Family** | |
| 3-day ticket | $90 | $45 | $225 |
| 5-day ticket | $120 | $60 | $300 |
| 7-day ticket | $140 | $70 | $350 |
**A family is defined as 2 adults and any number of children from 4 to under 16 years of age from the same family.
1. A SydneyPass doesn’t offer unlimited rides on ________.
| A．the Explorer Buses | B．the harbor cruises |
| C．regular Sydney Buses | D．CityRail services |
| A．save fares from and to the airport |
| B．take the Sydney Explorer to beaches |
| C．enjoy the famous seafood for free |
| D．reserve seats easily in a restaurant |
| A．$225. | B．$300. | C．$360. | D．$420. |
The study found teenage drivers who played their own music had significantly more traffic violations (违规) compared with background music designed by the researchers to minimize driving distractions, or no music.
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Israel recruited (招募) 85 drivers about 18 years old; just over half were male. The subjects were each assigned to drive six challenging road trips that were about 40 minutes long, accompanied by an experienced driving instructor. Music was played on four trips, two with selections from the drivers' playlists, mostly fast-paced vocals, and two with background music, which was a mixture of easy listening, soft rock and light jazz designed to increase driver safety. No music was played on two trips. Subjects rated their mood after each trip and in-car data recorders analyzed driver behavior and errors.
All 85 subjects committed at least three errors in one or more of the six trips; 27 received a warning and 17 required steering or braking by an instructor to prevent an accident. When the music was their own, 98% made errors; without the music, 92% made errors; and while listening to the safe-driving music, 77% made errors. Speeding, following too close, inappropriate lane use, and one-handed driving were the common violations.
The male subjects were more aggressive drivers and made more serious errors than female subjects. The teens played their own music at a very loud volume but significantly decreased the sound level when listening to the safe-driving music, researchers said. Mood ratings were highest on trips with driver-preferred music.
1. What is the key information the author wants to give in Paragraph 1?
| A．Many drivers played their favorite music while driving. |
| B．Drivers shouldn’t search for the buttons to find a good song. |
| C．Song selection has nothing to do with increased risk of crashes. |
| D．Listening to certain types of music can increase drivers’ errors. |
| A．Something being discussed. |
| B．People being written about. |
| C．People being tested. |
| D．Areas of knowledge or study. |
| A．increase drivers’ safety |
| B．add to the pleasure of driving |
| C．change drivers’ idea of safe driving |
| D．lower drivers’ guard against danger |
| A．the teens committed the most errors |
| B．the male were more skillful in driving |
| C．traveling with no music made the least errors |
| D．driver-preferred music increased the mood ratings |
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. |
| A．to ride it for fun | B．to use it for transport |
| C．to experience local culture | D．to improve his riding skills |
| A．It was boring. | B．It was difficult. |
| C．It was lively. | D．It was wonderful. |
| 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. |
