1 . New England Fall Leaf Rail Travels
Fall colors and fantastic destinations throughout the East Coast and beyond come to life on fall leaf train tours. New England Fall Leaf Rail Travels through a backdrop of gold rust and dark red are the best way to experience nature's greatest event as scenic trains take travelers to some of the United States' leading destinations for leaves. Admire the changing colors as you travel aboard heritage and Amtrak train lines and enjoy an up-close look at the scenery with coach tours and beautiful passenger liners. Select from a variety of fall leaf trips that highlight colorful destinations through sightseeing tours and attractive trips. Dip yourself in the fat-beauty of the Midwest in places like Northern Michigan, where guests enjoy the sights of Mackinac Island and Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Door County, famous for its spectacular Lake Michigan scenery and the endless wide countryside.
Travelers can go to the striking Smoky Mountains, stopping in beloved cities in both Tennessee and North Carolina. There are also packages that highlight New England in the fall, and these journeys include well-known regional destinations. The rail travels include guided tours in cities like Boston or scenic bus touts along byways. Some of the nation's most Picturesque heritage railways are also found in New England, for example, the Conway Scenic Railway in New Hampshire, which travels through the colorful peaks of the White Mountains
Charge:
Single price: $1,400 per person for 6 days
Group（more than one person）price: $1,200 per person for 6 days
Accommodation and airline tickets are included.
1. Which of the following are the highlights of the rail travels?| A．The oldest villages. | B．The latest trains. | C．Colourful leaves. | D．Traditional cultures. |
| A．Tour guides in Boston. | B．Free pictures of New England |
| C．A walk in the White Mountains | D．A hands-on climb to the top of the mountain. |
| A．$1,200. | B．$1,400. | C．$2,400 | D．$2,800. |
China’s Grand Canal(大运河)
For centuries, the power of Chinese emperors rose and fell with
The original canal system began around the year 605,
Today, boats still carry tons of coal, food, and other goods to points between Hangzhou and Jining. In 2014, the historic Grand Canal was made a UNESCO World Heritage site.It
Drunk driving is a very serious issue in China. It is
There are a number of reasons
More severe punishment is definitely necessary to prevent drunk driving.
China has uncovered a new high-speed bullet train
In a report by state-owned newspaper China Daily, Zhou Song, director of the China Railway Beijing Group, offered an analogy (类比) to explain the new train s brake system： “If the train stops in Harbin, one of the China's
Today, China is home to the world's largest high-speed rail network,
5 . A University College London study looked at car use to conclude that cities have to become car-free to survive. Simply put, if we don't reduce the number of cars in our cities then they will just completely clog up and stop moving.
The study notes the number of cars is actually increasing faster than that of people. In 2019, 80 million cars were built while the population increased by 78 million. And the mass production of those cars was responsible for 4% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (排放) ,which is bigger than aviation (航空) and that's before you even fuel them up.
The study authors construct a mathematical model, and residents choose driving their car or taking public transport on the basis of the time it takes to do the trip. “All individuals decide their commuting (通勤) mode trying to reduce their costs, but the result is the overall worst-case situation, where the average commuting time is longer and all people decide to use their car.” write the authors of the study.
Besides, policymakers tend to construct even more car infrastructure (基础设施) and invest even more in private cars, which then encourages more private vehicle use and results in even more traffic jams.
Possible solutions have to be actively encouraged, with more travel options, plus local shops and services.
Also, increasing the costs could be achieved by reducing the space devoted to cars, with more public transport lanes, wider sidewalks, and pedestrian roads, for example.
Dr. Humberto, one author of the study said: “If our goal is to have more liveable and developed cities then we must take part of this land and give it to other modes of transportation: walking, cycling and public transport.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined words “clog up”?| A．Turn down. | B．Break down. |
| C．Make troubles. | D．Get stuck. |
| A．The number of cars is larger than population. |
| B．Car production creates more CO2 than aviation. |
| C．CO2 emission is largely affected by car production. |
| D．Global CO2 emission is more serious than expected. |
| A．It is hard for people to keep a balance. |
| B．It takes more time to drive cars to work. |
| C．More cars can be used to save time. |
| D．Driving cars can keep the cost down. |
| A．Building parking lots. | B．Saving land for cars. |
| C．Producing less cars. | D．Riding a bus to work. |
6 . During Amsterdam’s chaotic rush hour, nine -year-old Lotta Crok cycles to a very busy junction. “Look,” she says. “There’s traffic coming from everywhere. Four trams from four different directions. For a child on a bike, that’s really confusing!”
Lotta is the first junior cycle mayor in the world and her working area is the Dutch capital. You would think this challenge would be superfluous in a city known as the bicycle capital of the world. The number of bicycles in Amsterdam is estimated at 800,000 — more than the city’s 750,000 inhabitants. According to an estimate made 5 years ago, 490,000 bicyclists take to streets daily.
But children who cycle in Amsterdam face challenges. Lotta says, “The three biggest problems for us are cars, cycling tourists and scooters (小型摩托). The cars take up too much space, the tourists are always swinging side to side and stop when you least expect it, and the scooters simply run you over.”
Lotta became junior cycle mayor in June last year when she won a contest in which school children were asked to come up with plans to make cycling safer and more fun. Her idea was to add children’s bikes to the popular bike share programme.
Since Lotta was appointed junior cycle mayor, she has been busy, giving interviews, opening cycling contests in the city and being a jury (评审员) member during the Amsterdam Light Parade, an event in which Amsterdammers decorate their bikes with lights.
She is now planning a meeting with the city’s mayor to discuss ideas that children have come up with: “One of our proposals is a bicycle park where children can learn how to cycle. Right now, most of us learn it in the street, which can be quite busy. Another idea is to create an app for tourists to teach them the rules of cycling, because most of them really don’t know.”
Following the success of the Amsterdam scheme, cycle mayors around the world are now planning to appoint junior colleagues. “They see it works really well,” Boerma, the senior mayor, says. “I talk to the parents. Lotta talks to the children. And if you look at the city through the eyes of a child, you will also make it accessible for others. A city that’s good for an eight-year-old is also good for an 88-year-old.”
1. Which word can best replace the underlined word “superfluous” in paragraph 2?| A．Important. | B．Difficult. |
| C．Unnecessary. | D．Valuable. |
| A．To teach children how to ride. |
| B．To ensure cycling is safer for children. |
| C．To give suggestions to the city’s mayor on how to run the city. |
| D．To organize the cycling contests in the city. |
| A．She has solved the three biggest problems for children cycling in Amsterdam. |
| B．She has won a contest about cycling. |
| C．She has given interviews and been a jury member during a parade. |
| D．She has given proposals to the city mayor. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Favorable. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Disapproving. |
7 . There's a battle storming in the streets of America. Anyone who regularly rides a bicycle knows all about this. Some motorists shout at two-wheeled travelers, who slow traffic. A few will do even worse.
The New York Times reports that incidents of aggression toward bicycle riders appear to be growing. Even though actually every state allows bicyclists the same right as motorists to use the streets, many drivers still refuse to accept this. They view themselves as Kings of the Road --- an impression that has been strongly built by the transportation planning profession, which has designed our cities as if people didn't exist outside of their cars.
But a big new idea to settle this conflict and improve life in the streets for everyone is now taking root among community activists, urban planners and traffic engineers.
“Too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars, They're unsafe for people on foot or bike. Now, in communities across the country, a movement is growing to complete the streets. States, cities and towns are asking their planners, engineers and designers to build road networks that welcome all citizens," declares the website of a new organization promoting this idea, "Complete the Streets", the best idea to hit our communities since pizza, or even the bicycle itself.
My home of Minneapolis is one of the biking capitals of America. But it hasn't always been that way. When I moved here many years ago, I was shocked at the strong hostility directed toward me whenever I dared ride my bike down the street. Drivers would suddenly turn in my direction, and then laugh as they nearly knocked me onto the ground.
As the number of bikes on Minneapolis streets has grown, people have become much more comfortable sharing the road with two-wheelers. Indeed, I get the impression that most motorists now envy rather than hate me, and can't wait to get home where they can jump on their own bikes. This will happen everywhere as more and more Americans discover biking as a great way to get around, save money, lose weight, protect the planet and have fun.
1. Who cause the traffic problem according to the motorists?| A．Bicycle riders. | B．Urban planners. |
| C．Traffic engineers. | D．Community activists. |
| A．weight losing | B．city planning |
| C．money saving | D．global warming |
| A．Relieving traffic jams. | B．Promoting walking and bicycling. |
| C．Building more road networks. | D．Assessing the impact of the conflict. |
| A．To present a problem. | B．To praise the bicyclists. |
| C．To describe a change. | D．To blame the car riders. |
8 . China’s first panda-themed tourist train, known as the “Panda train” left Chengdu Railway Station in Sichuan’s provincial capital for Zunyi in neighboring Cuizhou province on Sunday night. The train is decorated with giant panda images, and attendants carry panda toys and passengers can even try panda-shaped food. The “panda train” will start operation on March 28. It will serve on fixed lines and customized lines to connect tourist attractions in Sichuan and neighboring provinces.
In the future, the train will operate on a number of rail lines linking Chengdu and Chongqing, Chongqing and Guiyang, Shanghai and Kunming in Sichuan, Guzhou provinces and Chongqing municipality.
Ticket offer:
The three-day trip costs 1,280 yuan, including food, accommodation and entrance tickets to scenic spots in Guizhou.
Facilities:
The train, which doubles as a mobile star-rated hotel, can accommodate 252 passengers. It has a dining room, bar, karaoke room, dance hall and mahjong room. The 12 cars have individual rooms for two or four passengers, and each room has a washroom with a toilet and shower facilities.
The mahjong room might be the biggest attraction for passengers from Sichuan, whose people are known for their fondness of the game. There’s an old joke that an airplane passenger bound for Chengdu can sleep soundly, only to be woken by the clicking of mahjong tiles in the city before landing. In fact, Chengdu is better known for its love of mahjong than its other attractions, such as the giant panda, Sichuan Opera and Sichuan cuisine, according to an online survey conducted by sohu.com two decades ago.
Booking information:
Tickets are only available in advance through Chengdu Railway International Business Travel Group website during the trial runs.
1. Who are the intended readers of the passage?| A．People who like pandas. | B．People who enjoy travelling. |
| C．People interested in decoration. | D．People fond of playing mahjong. |
| A．The dance hall for travelers. | B．The mahjong room on the train. |
| C．The beautiful giant panda images. | D．The dining room serving Sichuan cuisine. |
| A．They can buy tickets in advance online. | B．They can buy tickets at the railway station. |
| C．They can buy tickets in the star-rated hotel. | D．They can buy tickets from Business Travel Group. |
9 . Like all big cities, Paris has a traffic problem: lots of cars, lots of traffic jams and lots of pollution from exhaust fumes (废气). So the city began a scheme (计划) to improve the situation.
Under the Velib project ('Velib' comes from vélo liberté, or 'bicycle freedom') people can take a bicycle, use it for as long as they want, and then leave it at the same or another bicycle station. The first half-hour on the bike is free, but if you don't return it after 30 minutes, you have to pay. But it's only €1 a day or €29 a year! The bicycles are heavy (25 kg), and they are all grey and have baskets. There are about 20,000 of them in the city, and around 1,450 bicycle stations. So there are a lot more Velib stations than the 298 subway stations!
Paris is not the first city to have a project like this. But not everybody thinks it's a great idea. One Parisian said, "These bicycles are only for short journeys. If people want to travel across the city, they won't use a bicycle — they'll still use their cars."
A city spokesman said, 'The bicycle project won't solve all our traffic problems, of course. But it might help reduce air pollution. Traffic, together with factory fumes, is a big problem. There aren't any simple answers to traffic problems and pollution in cities. But unless we do something now, there will be more traffic jams and temperatures will continue to rise, so the problems in our environment will get worse. The bikes might help people to lead a healthier life, too.'
1. What can we learn about the Velib scheme?| A．Its bikes have no baskets. | B．Its bikes are light and colorful. |
| C．It aims to make traveling easier. | D．It owns more stations than the subway. |
| A．€l | B．€30 | C．€29 | D．no money |
| A．The cost is rather high. |
| B．It's hard to find a Velib station. |
| C．It's not suitable for a long journey. |
| D．The distance between two Velib stations is long. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. |
| C．Uncaring. | D．Worried. |
10 . Educational programs often use fear-based messaging and films of crash scenes to reduce risky driving behavior among young people. But does this “scary” approach work? A new study suggests that fear-based messaging fails to reduce risky driving behavior, while fear-based Virtual Reality (VR) films showing a violent collision may actually lead young drivers to take more chances behind the wheel.
A team of psychologists in Belgium conducted a study of 146 students who had been legally driving for less than five years. The researchers examined the impact of both content (fear vs. positive) and delivery mode (2D vs. VR) of driver safety intervention programs.
By showing a serious consequence such as death, fear-based driver education films attempt to arouse a sense of fear and persuade young people to drive more carefully. Positively framed films take the opposite approach, using humor and modeling safe driving behaviors that result in positive consequences.
Three tests were used to analyze the risk-taking behavior of the young drivers before and after participating in the intervention program. One was a questionnaire. Another was a test on traffic, which asks participants to watch video clips of driving situations and choose whether they view a situation as too risky, for example, choosing whether to pass another car in icy conditions. A third test was used to measure the level of emotional arousal (such as feeling afraid) after watching a film.
The results showed that participants who viewed the fear-based VR film reported riskier driving behaviors afterward, while those who viewed a positively framed VR film exhibited the greatest reduction in risky driving behavior. This finding supports other research that has shown that exposing participants to an extreme collision tends to activate defensive mechanisms, such as paying attention for a shorter time, disengaging, rejecting a message, and an increase in risky behaviors.
“Fear appeals have been used in many health and environmental campaigns, such as smoking and anti-drug,” says Dr. Cutello of the research team. “Further experimental research is needed to determine whether the use of fear is effective.”
1. What is the new study about?| A．VR’s application on driving education. | B．Young drivers’ risky driving behaviors. |
| C．The deadly consequence of violent crashes. | D．The effect of drivers’ educational programs. |
| A．To assess driving emotions. | B．To judge driving behaviors. |
| C．To gain driving competence. | D．To keep safe driving in mind. |
| A．Drivers show fewer risky behaviors. | B．Drivers were less able to focus long. |
| C．Drivers were unwilling to cooperate. | D．Drivers became more open to advice. |
| A．More research should be conducted. | B．Fear-based education shouldn’t be used. |
| C．The result of his research is unconvincing. | D．The use of fear education has been cut down. |
