1 . Getting Around Washington, DC by Public Transportation

Washington, DC, is not an easy city to drive in. If you’d rather avoid the headache of driving, consider taking advantage of the city’s public transportation system during your visit.

Public transportation

When Washingtonians say “Metro” or “Metrorail”, they mean the subway. The bus system is called Metrobus, and is usually simply referred to as the bus. Six rail lines (Red, Yellow, Blue, Silver, Green, and Orange) and an extensive bus system (more than 15,000 stops on 400 routes) connect DC to Maryland and Virginia.

Rail station entrances are marked with towers topped with the letter“M”. Stripes (线条)of color indicate, the lines traveling down below. Each, train, displays the name of its farthest destination.

Operating hours

Metro Operating Hours

DAY	TIME
Monday-Thursday	5 am-12 am
Friday	5 am-1 am
Saturday	7 am-1 am
Sunday	7 am-12 am

Metrobus schedules vary by route. Free transfers (转乘) to use within two hours are available, and they are accepted on most local buses in addition to Metrobuses.

Fares

Metrorail fares run $1.35 to $3.90 based on distance traveled. A $6.50 One Day Pass is valid (有效的) for unlimited Metrorail travel on weekdays after 9:30 am or all day Saturdays or Sundays. Bus fares are $1.25, and 60 cents for seniors and people with disabilities, and $3 for express buses. The DC Circulator primarily serves visitors. This bus service connects major tourist attractions and parts of town. Each ride is $1.

1. What does a color represent in the DC Metro?

A．A rail line.

B．The subway.

C．A rail station.

D．A day of the week.

2. What are the Metro schedules set based on?

A．Weekdays and weekends.	B．Distances and departure times.
C．Starting points and destinations.	D．Fares and the number of passengers.

3. When can One Day Pass be used on Metrorail lines on Sundays?

A．From 5 am to 12 am.	B．From 7 am to 12 am.
C．From 9:30 am to 1 am.	D．From 5 am to 1 am.

2 . On December 16, 2023, the first section of Maya Train officially opened, which runs between Campeche and Cancún, carrying up to 231 passengers across 290 miles and stopping at 14 train stations.

Built as an ambitious effort to promote tourism and boost Mexico’s economy, the rail system connects the major cities and tourist regions of the Yucatán Peninsula-from Cancún’s beaches to Tulum’s archaeological (考古的) wonders. Once the project is completed, the entire rail system will link tourist destinations across five states. However, environmentalists and archaeologists argue that the train route will cause great damage to the environment and ancient Mayan sites.

The Maya Train passes through six UNESCO World Heritage sites, and thousands of archaeological sites. One particular area of concern is the Calakmul biosphere reserve, which is home to many endangered species, such as jaguars and over 500 other animal species. The train lines, more than 60 meters wide, could act as artificial barriers that may limit the movement of these animals within the reserve, making it difficult for them to move around and access food and water sources.

Opponents also express safety concerns. Certain sections of the rail system will be built right on top of the aquifer’s (地下水层的) most fragile points of contact with the surface. “It’s like wanting to build over eggshells, says Guillermo Christy, a water treatment consultant.” Putting trains weighing thousands of tons on top could cause the underground caves to crash down. To construct the train infrastructure (基础设施) also requires driving long piles deep into the ground, which poses a big threat to this fragile ecosystem and leads to water shortages.

In the ongoing debate of Maya Train, it is crucial to consider the delicate balance between economic development and environmental preservation. While Maya Train may provide economic benefits, we must not overlook the potential environmental and cultural losses, as well as the safety risks it may bring. Achieving harmony between progress and conservation may be a significant challenge for the project, but we must take into account the long-term consequences of our actions.

1. What do we know about the Maya Train project?

A．It consumes lots of labor in Mexico.

B．It was completed on December 16, 2023.

C．It has concerned some professionals.

D．It blocks the development of local tourism.

2. What is the effect of the train lines on the animals in the reserve?

A．They disturb their sleeping patterns.	B．They restrict their activities.
C．They pollute their water sources.	D．They engage their enemies to the area.

3. Why does the author mention “eggshells” in paragraph 4?

A．To show the difficulty of constructing the rail lines.

B．To prove the urgency of protecting the fragile ecosystem.

C．To explain the reasons for water shortages along the railway.

D．To stress the potential harm of Maya Train to the aquifer system.

4. Which statement would the author probably agree with?

A．Preserving cultural sites requires strong financial support.

B．It is time to speed up the construction process of Maya Train.

C．Economic development should not come at the expense of the environment.

D．We should prize the economic benefits of the project in the long run.

3 . Think of a city you know, and try to picture it five years from now. Will its streets be full of electric cars. some of them self-driving? If so, then the current problem facing electric vehicles (EVs) will be a minor problem. However, US sales have slowed well below the government’s target, EVs’ share of the British market has stopped growing and only 1. 2 percent of European passenger cars in 2022 were battery-powered. My bet is that, in cities at least, the c-car won’t gain the upper hand in the years to come.

EVs emit more carbon over their life cycle than any form of urban transport except petrol cars. They are still worthwhile for people in suburbs, who drive long distances every day and who will earn back the emissions and the financial expenses by never buying gas again.

EVs face many other obstacles. Cities are claiming back space from cars. Paris, where I live, is having a vote on February 4 on a special parking tax for heavier SUVs. In a few years, mayors might start handling self-driving cars. These are so convenient that if they ever became affordable for the mass market. almost everyone would buy one, and they would clog up (阻塞) cities.

Then there’s the problem of charging EVs. Suburbanites with home garages can install chargers, but the lack of public chargers on city streets hasn’t become a major issue yet only because so few people own EVs. Even if you find an urban charger that works, charging can take hours.

Crucially, most of the world’s EVs with high quality are made in China, so there won’t be an aggressive western lobby (游说团) casing their way. On the contrary, governments may well raise taxes to block them rather than let China outperform yet another western industry.

For a city-resident getting rid of a petrol car, the calculation then becomes: instead of an EV, can I buy a much cheaper, health-giving e-bike that I can charge in my flat, and supplement that with the odd taxi ride? That is the trend. Looking back in five years, we may conclude that electric cars were made for American suburbia and for almost nowhere else.

1. Paris is having a vote on a special parking tax. in order to ________.

A．increase taxes	B．spare some space
C．expand urban areas	D．reduce traffic jams

2. Why did western governments raise taxes on EVs made in China?

A．Because the governments needed to protect their domestic industries. A. Because the governments needed to protect their domestic industries.

B．Because EVs made in China didn’t reach the standard required.

C．Because the western lobby promoted EVs made in China.

D．Because China was desperate to export its goods.

3. Which opinion might the author agree with?

A．EVs are eco-friendly.	B．EVs are costly for average people.
C．EVs will be in huge demand.	D．EV chargers are readily available.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．EVs are not the future.	B．EVs are being replaced.
C．EVs affect the environment.	D．EVs have alarming problems.

4 . Over the past decade, more and more travelers have been embracing the idea of slow travel. One of the most popular methods of slow travel, if you have the time, is by rail. Here are our picks for some of the best train rides in the world.

The Glacier Express

The Glacier Express takes more than eight hours to cross the 180-mile journey between Zermatt and St. Moritz in Switzerland at an average of 18 mph. The classic red train journey brings you to Europe’s mountains at their very best — with views of snow-covered forests and peaks included!

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Running through Tamil Nadu State, the train is the slowest in India due to an extremely steep gradient on the route. It takes nearly five hours to cover a distance of 46 km. Clearly nobody uses the NMR to get from A to B, but for the sheer joy of riding in a train that passes through 16 tunnels, 250 bridges and 208 steep curves on the richly biodiverse Western Ghats mountain range.

No. 6063/6064

With a length of 257 kilometers, the highly popular “small-and-slow train” route winds through the Qinling Mountains, linking 13 stations at the highest cost of 39.5 yuan. Villagers take the train to sell their vegetables in nearby counties to add to their families’ income. Helping poverty alleviation and carrying students to schools, the rail line, running for over 60 years, is a guarantee of and witness to the wish for a better life of the people along its route.

Royal Scotsman

With the full length of 1930 kilometers, the Royal Scotsman marries Edwardian elegance with the comforts of a five-star country house. The train includes elegant lounges, comfortable suites, and an open observation deck. The 9-coach train carries a just 36 passengers maximum with a passenger to staff ratio of 1:3. One of the coaches is the amazing Bamford Spa offering something of a palace on wheels.

1. Why do people choose the Nilgiri Mountain Railway?

A．To view the snow-covered forests.

B．To travel from one place to another.

C．To experience the amusement of riding.

D．To study the geography of the Western Ghats.

2. Which train can we take to experience villagers’ slow life?

A．The Glacier Express.	B．No. 6063/6064.
C．The Nilgiri Mountain Railway.	D．Royal Scotsman.

3. What is Royal Scotsman special about?

A．Its luxury.

B．Its route.

C．Its history.

D．Its convenience.

5 . Our mother has to leave home every day before we go to school. She has to walk twelve blocks to take the bus to work. We think it’s terrible that there is no bus that comes closer to our street.

I said to my mother, “This is a public transportation system. It is our system. It should come closer to our home. I do not want you to walk that far to get to the bus.” She agreed, but she said it would take more than one family to get the bus line to change. I told my mother I would ask my teacher about it. We could do a study and maybe start a petition (请愿书).

My teacher liked the idea. He said we could do the survey. So our class surveyed all our parents. We collected our survey data and made a table. We found that 90% of all the parents would use the bus more if it was easier to get to. We also found that only 20% of the parents could get to it easily, just by walking five blocks. For all the others, it took between 6 and 12 blocks.

We made a map to show how the bus route (路线) could be changed to reach people in our community more easily. Then my teacher called the alderman (市议员) to see if we could meet to talk about our study.

The alderman was impressed. She said we had done a really good job of thinking out the problem and a solution. She promised she would talk with the head of the transportation system about it.

Now my mother can leave later, and she only has to walk four blocks to get to the bus. When she leaves in the morning, she always says, “Son, I’m so glad you got the bus route changed.”

1. According to the first two paragraphs, the author wanted to ______.

A．get the public transportation system improved

B．walk with his mother to the bus stop

C．invite more families to take the bus

D．ask his teacher about a study plan

2. What did the author and his classmates find in the survey?

A．90% of the parents took the bus to work because it was easier to get to.

B．20% of the parents lived within five blocks to the bus stop.

C．Most parents used to wait for the bus to pick them up.

D．Only a few parents sent their kids to school by bus.

3. What does the underlined word “impressed” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Worried.	B．Annoyed.
C．Moved.	D．Relaxed.

4. What can we learn from the author’s experience?

A．We should take notice of our family life.

B．We should communicate with others.

C．The harder we study, the greater progress we’ll make.

D．As long as we make efforts, we’ll make a difference.

6 . When it comes to comfort, most travelers would pick trains over planes any day. Trains usually offer more leg and elbow room than airplanes. Besides, there are no seat belt signs to keep you from getting up and moving around. And yet, being stuck in a seat for hours on end means long train rides can still be challenging on the body and mind.    1    

If budget permits, upgrading your seat is perhaps the most important thing you can do to make a long train ride more comfortable.    2     Therefore, you can lie down on overnight rides, or a first-class or business-class seat instead of a spot in coach to land yourself more legroom and a footrest.

A tablet (平板电脑) stocked with books, movies, and music can be a lifesaver on long train rides. However, you’ll need a plan for keeping it charged.     3     Make sure you have the right adapter for your charger if you’re traveling in a foreign country. Consider bringing along some low-tech forms of entertainment, too, like travel games or even a simple pack of cards.

    4     Similarly, window seats on trains appeal to train riders. After all, you’re even more likely to have scenery worth seeing out the windows of a train.

Part of the appeal of traveling by train is watching a variety of landscapes slip by outside your window, but once darkness falls — or if you simply need a nap — you might want to escape from the outside world for a while.    5    

A．No two train rides are made alike.

B．Some trains have power ports at every seat.

C．That might mean booking a sleeper cabin instead of a seat.

D．Taking plenty of snacks is a wise idea to kill your time on board.

E．Noise-free headphones are a good choice if you like to fall asleep to music.

F．The following tips will help make your next long rail journey more comfortable.

G．Window seats on planes are popular with travelers who like to enjoy the views.

9 . Since it’s made up of over 7,000 islands, the Philippines is not a train-heavy nation. That means coach buses are going to be your best choice for getting city-to-city. There is a small light rail system in the Manila metro area (called the Light Rail Transit System or “LRT” for short), but it has a bad name for being delayed most of the time.

If the phrase “coach bus” calls forth images of old Greyhounds, you’re off the mark. Because coaches in the Philippines are the primary means of intercity transit, many popular bus companies actually feature onboard attendants (think flight attendants, but, you know, on a bus) as well as entertainment centers, posh seats, and other comfortable accouterments (配备).

There’s no one central bus company in the Philippines, so central bus stations are uncommon. That means you need to know which company you want to take, what bus to get on, and where to catch it. Connect with a Filipino local for help when you’re planning your trip. They’ll help you figure out the who/what/where/when of bus transit and walk you through the entire process.

Besides coach buses, jeepneys are also very popular. They are old military jeeps left over from the US occupation of the Philippines which have since been converted into colorful, uniquely-Filipino private buses. They’re cheap, usually around 7 pesos or 0.25 per ride, they’re everywhere, and they’re probably the most popular form of mass transit in the Philippines.

More than anything though, jeepneys are colorful. The owners take lots of pride in their rides, and it’s common to see richly-painted jeepneys on most major roads. Where do you catch a jeepney and where do they go? Make it easy on yourself: have your local trip planner contain at least one jeepney ride into your travel plan—they’ll give you all the information you need.

1. How does a coach bus in the Philippines differ from a Greyhound?

A．Often running behind the schedule.

B．Traveling within the city area of Manila.

C．Painted with bright colors with low cost.

D．Comfortable equipment with fine service.

2. What can be impressive transit if you travel in the Philippines?

A．LRT.

B．Train.

C．Jeepney.

D．Coach bus.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Jeepneys are popular as they are modern and comfortable.

B．A Filipino local is the best choice to help you plan your trip.

C．A central bus station can give you the information you need.

D．Coach buses provide the experience of a flight with low cost.

4. What can be the best title of the passage?

A．Tourist attractions in the Philippines

B．Cheap unique transit in the Philippines

C．Options of transportation in the Philippines

D．Special traveling experiences in the Philippines