| A．By air. | B．By walk. | C．By train. |
| A．Strangers. | B．Co-workers. | C．Driver and passenger. |
1. Why is Jack leaving early?
| A．To avoid getting stuck in traffic. |
| B．To enjoy the scenery on the way. |
| C．To buy some gifts for his family. |
| A．Read books. | B．Call some friends. | C．Look around the shops. |
| A．What to do next year. |
| B．Where to go for vacations. |
| C．How to pass the waiting time. |
| A．By car. | B．By bike. | C．On foot. |
1. Where did the man arrive?
| A．New York. | B．London. | C．Beijing. |
| A．At 12:00 p. m. | B．At 11:00 p. m. | C．At 11:30 p. m. |
| A．His wallet. | B．His passport. | C．His membership cards. |
| A．Call the man back within an hour. |
| B．Cancel the card with the credit company. |
| C．Ask others to find the bag. |
6 . A year ago, I sold my car and replaced it with an e-bike. Writing about climate change, I knew I was doing something good for the planet. Passenger vehicles are responsible for much of our greenhouse-gas emissions (排放). An e-bike’s small battery means less electricity, fewer emissions and fewer resources. They are clearly better for the planet than cars.
I had viewed replacing my car as an unwise choice. Living in Colorado, e-biking would mean freezing in the winter and sweating in the summer. In my opinion, it was not going to be fun.
However, I quickly learned that, as the saying goes, there is no bad weather, only bad gear. It was wearing gloves, warm socks, and a ski jacket when riding that prevented me from feeling cold. And even though it was 90 degrees outside, I didn’t sweat, thanks to my bike’s pedal-assist system. Honestly sometimes I didn’t even pedal (踩踏板), I just used the throttle (油门), sat back, and enjoyed my ride.
Then the savings caught my eye. Considering car payments, insurance, and gas, a car-centered lifestyle is expensive. According to American Automobile Association, owning and driving a new car in America costs $10,728 a year. My e-bike, by comparison, costs $2,000. After counting in all costs, about $50,000 will be saved over the next five years.
The actual experience of riding to work has been equally surprising. Biking to work was not unpleasant-it was truly enjoyable. Not only did I arrive to work more satisfied for having spent the morning in fresh air rather than traffic, but also I cycled my bike after a busy day at work and rode home down a street covered with changing fall leaves. I felt more connected to the natural surroundings around me.
Of course, it’s unrealistic to expect e-bikes to replace cars completely. There’s no need to sell your car to reduce carbon emissions greatly. Making short trips on an e-bike instead of in a car would likely save money, cut emissions, and improve health and happiness.
1. The reason for the author to replace the car with an e-bike is| A．to save money. | B．to build up strength. |
| C．to explore the nature. | D．to protect the environment. |
| A．skill | B．shelter | C．kit | D．system |
| A．It costs higher than a car. | B．It offers a pleasant experience. |
| C．It makes no difference to humans. | D．It can keep riders warm in winter. |
| A．Positive. | B．Confused. | C．Traditional. | D．Curious. |
1. Where are the speakers probably?
| A．At a bus station. |
| B．At a railway station. |
| C．At an airport. |
| A．The one at 9:50. | B．The one at 10:00. | C．The one at 10:10. |
8 . Electric air taxis could one day move commuters (通勤者) from downtown Chicago to O’ Hare International Airport or to the suburbs, high above expressway traffic, in a fraction of the time it takes to drive.
That’s the vision of electric aircraft developer Eve, which is leading a group of aviation companies and local governments conducting simulations (模拟) in Chicago. Though the aircraft are likely years away from receiving federal authorization to fly, it’s a vision shared by other major companies, like Chicago-based United Airlines, which recently struck a conditional agreement to purchase at least 200 of Eve’s flying taxis in United’s latest investment in the industry.
Eve co-CEO Andre Stein said the air taxis are nothing like electric helicopters or flying cars. They will use eight motors distributed around the aircraft to take off vertically, then electric pushers and wings to glide forward.
Stein envisions the air taxis helping commuters reach meetings across town or providing a way to get home quickly in time for a child’s birthday. Rather than an everyday option like commuter rail or public transport, they can help save time in urgent situations, he said.
The concept of bypassing ground transportation by air isn’t new. Helicopter taxi service already exists in cities like New York, where a flight can sometimes be comparable to or cheaper than the cost of a ride-share from an airport into Manhattan.
But Stein said the new technology is expected to make air taxis more affordable than helicopters and estimated a possible ticket price could be around $100 to travel 20 miles. He also mentioned what he described as improved efficiency and sustainability. “It’s much simpler, much lower maintenance than a helicopter, much quieter and more pleasant,” he said.
For now, Eve hopes the Chicago simulations will help provide a better understanding of how the air taxis could fit into current air traffic patterns and how they can connect with users’ journeys via ground transportation to the heliport. “It’s really about bringing another option for urban air mobility,” Stein said. “We don’t intend to solve all the traffic congestion problems, there’s no silver bullet there. But it’s about more options.”
1. Which statement is TRUE about electric air taxis?| A．It’s a brand-new innovative attempt to relieve the traffic jam. |
| B．Government’s approval for the official flights has not been granted. |
| C．Helicopter taxi service in New York is cheaper than the cost of a car ride. |
| D．Some major companies have promised to buy Eve’s flying taxis without strings attached. |
| A．Avoiding. | B．Conducting. | C．Restricting. | D．Controlling. |
| A．More affordable price. | B．Better flight experience. |
| C．Lower production cost. | D．Improved environmental friendliness. |
| A．To popularize the new pattern of air traffic. |
| B．To promote the sales of the electric air taxis. |
| C．To replace commuter rails and public transportation. |
| D．To integrate electric air taxis into existing urban traffic mode. |
| A．It’s faster than driving. |
| B．It’s more comfortable. |
| C．It’s more convenient. |
1. How did the woman get there?
| A．By car. | B．By taxi. | C．By bike. |
| A．Rainy. | B．Sunny. | C．Cloudy. |
