1 . The same area where the Wright brothers developed the first airplane will soon see electric planes that take off and land vertically (垂直地). The planes, called “flying taxis” will be produced under an agreement between the state of Ohio and Joby Aviation at Dayton International Airport.
Joby Aviation is a 14-year-old company that went public in 2021 and became the first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) firm to receive a special kind of permission from the US Air Force. Its production efforts are supported by partnerships with Toyota, Delta Air Lines, Intel and Uber.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine told The Associated Press, “When you’re talking about air taxis, that’s the future.”
Developers say the planes are nearing the day when they will provide a way to move individual people or small groups from the top of buildings and parking spaces to their destinations.
Around the world, eVTOL. aircrafts or flying taxis are becoming more common. Still, questions remain about noise levels and charging demands.
Engineers designed Joby’s production aircraft to transport a pilot and four passengers at the speed of up to 321.87 kilometers per hour. The aircraft can cover a distance of up to 160. 93 kilometers. It is a quiet machine that can barely be heard in most cities, the company said. The plan is to place them in aerial ride sharing networks beginning in 2025.
The $500 million project is supported by up to $325 million in payments from the state of Ohio. With the money, Joby plans to build an Ohio facility capable of delivering up to 500 aircrafts a year and creating 2,000 jobs. The US Department of Energy has invited Joby to apply for a loan to support the development of the facility as a clean energy project.
Joby CEO JocBen Bevirt told the AP that the company chose Ohio after a large and competitive search. Ohio’s financial deal was not the largest, but the chance to bring the operation to the birthplace of aviation — with a workforce experienced in the field — led to the deal, he said.
1. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 2?| A．Summarize the previous paragraph. | B．Provide some advice for the readers. |
| C．Add some background information. | D．Introduce a new topic for discussion. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Unconcerned. | C．Unclear. | D．Positive. |
| A．It hardly makes any noise. | B．It doesn’t need to be charged. |
| C．It carries at most 6 passengers. | D．It covers a distance of 321.87km. |
| A．The Life of the Wright Brothers | B．Flying Taxis to be Made in Ohio |
| C．A Competitive Future for Aircrafts | D．The Development of Joby Aviation |
2 . Traffic lights are red, yellow and green. They are very important signals (信号). Traffic lights are usually placed at busy street corners to help control traffic. Sometimes, they are on streets near schools and shops, too. Most young children are taught what each of the colored lights means, so everybody can stay safe.
The first traffic signals were used for trains. The signals were put alongside railway tracks (轨道). The color red was used to mean “stop” because it warned people of danger. A red light was also the easiest color to see from a distance. Train drivers could see the red “stop” light ahead and had enough time to slow down and stop their trains. A green light was used to mean “take care” and a white light meant “go”.
However, there were many dangerous accidents on the train tracks. Some train drivers thought a star shining in the night sky was a white light that meant “go”. So the signals were swapped. The “go” light was changed to green and the “take care” light was changed to white.
During these times, people travelled by train or in carts pulled by horses. Years later, when cars were built, people began to drive them because they could travel much faster than horses. However, the road rules for drivers were not very clear and many people were hurt crossing the roads. Yellow warning signs had to be placed beside the roads to remind drivers to take care and allow people to cross safely.
Today, towns and cities all over the world have traffic lights. Red and green lights match the signals used on the railways. Yellow lights are easy to see, so they are used to warn drivers that they should slow down and prepare to stop.
1. Why was the color red used to mean “stop”?| A．It gave people a warning of danger. |
| B．It was the first color people thought of. |
| C．It reminded people of traffic rules. |
| D．It helped trains run smoothly. |
| A．Designed. | B．Suggested. | C．Compared. | D．Exchanged. |
a. A white light. b. A green light. c. A yellow light.
| A．a—b—c | B．b—c—a |
| C．b—a—c | D．a—c—b |
| A．The importance of traffic lights. | B．The meanings of traffic lights. |
| C．The advantages of traffic lights. | D．The history of traffic lights. |
3 . Will there be a time in our lives when cars don’t crash? When we can just sit back and relax and our cars will drive themselves. Auto technology experts say “yes”. And they say that some of those advances may happen quicker than you might think.
They will require the users to input the name of the destination or the complete address of the location that they want to go and the cars’ artificial intelligence takes them there automatically without a driver. They will run on solar power in the daytime and ethanol fuel(乙醇燃料) at night. Toyota, BMW and Honda will completely control the trade of driverless car business together and will have the cheapest driverless cars. Fossil fuels(矿物燃料) will be completely incompatible(不相配的) with these cars.
Driverless cars will not require a driver’s license of any grade to operate. Anyone with basic literacy and computer skills who are at least 16 years of age will be legally allowed to operate the vehicle with absolutely no restrictions. This would give the young users permission to operate the driverless cars on major highways as well as secondary roads without needing a separate classification. In addition to all this, drunken people will be able to use their own automobiles to return home because they are not “driving” the vehicle.
What’s more, car insurance will become obsolete because there will be no more automobile accidents after the year 2025. This is because the driverless car will have all safety methods in place by the car’s artificial intelligence to prevent automobile accidents. Global positioning systems will become mandatory(强制的) in all newly-manufactured cars after 2010, and will be the most important part in the driverless car.
1. We can infer from the second paragraph that driverless cars ______.| A．will need fewer fossil fuels | B．will be environmentally friendly |
| C．will run on solar power only | D．will not need a human’s instructions |
| A．People with basic literacy and computer skills. |
| B．People who are drunk. |
| C．People without computer skills. |
| D．People without a driver’s license. |
| A．difficult to get | B．quite important | C．dangerous | D．out of business |
| A．Car safety. | B．Driverless cars. | C．The future cars. | D．New technology in cars. |
4 . On the eve of this week’s rail strikes, it was reported that the industry bosses are planning to weed out paper train tickets and close almost 1,000 station ticket offices in England. The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has made no secret of his desire to see costs saved in this way. Some stations sell only a handful of tickets each week and the vast majority of transactions(交易) have moved online.
In the name of cost-cutting, station ticket offices are likely to follow the telephone booth on the comer and become memory. For those who have grown used to the benefits of organizing travel via smartphones, there will be little to feel sorry for. But for people without online access or skills―who tend to be older, poorer, and more fragile-another social barrier will have been built.
From medical appointments to payment apps for parking, more and more key services are now delivered digitally. As this revolution takes place, the interests of a significant minority are being ignored to some extent. In the case of health and social care, for example, it will often be those most in need of assistance who are least able to employ electronic devices.
The debate over ticket offices offers an opportunity to reflect more broadly on the increasing role of technology in our social landscape. The unavoidable trend towards technology is predictable, but its possible consequences need to be managed with more care. With the expanding range and increasing complexity of digital requirements, the aged are gradually withdrawing from increasing social services in their lives. Ros Altmann, the former pensions minister, recently wrote of being contacted by an elderly woman who no longer drives to her local park, because she cannot download the car parking app required.
Much more needs to be invested in helping gain easy online access. Alternative offline options must be maintained for important services. Contactable telephone numbers of relevant staff should always be available. These will cost more. But that is the price of digital transformation.
1. Why are the station ticket offices in England planned for closure?| A．To cut down some expenses. | B．To minimize the use of public transportation. |
| C．To increase related job opportunities. | D．To make changes to the paper train tickets. |
| A．To indicate ticket office s will become a thing of the past. |
| B．To miss the old memories when telephone booths were in use. |
| C．To show tick el offices are more fashionable than telephone booths. |
| D．To describe the negative impact of telephone booths on ticket offices. |
| A．Necessary phone services. | B．More diverse online services. |
| C．More convenient online access. | D．Alternative of l line transactions. |
| A．The importance and classification of digital services. |
| B．The views and attitudes of the elderly towards technology. |
| C．The advantages and shortcomings of station ticket offices. |
| D．The division and inconvenience caused by digital transformation. |
5 . This week, Parisians have been treated to the sight of ecotaxis, transporting people up and down the river Seine. They are called SeaBubbles and are being tested ahead of the decision to introduce them into the Parisian transport network. The SeaBubble is still in its early testing period, using technological know-how from several industries. The boat sits in the water as the passengers get on and off but once the door is closed the boat starts moving at 12 kmh (7.5 mph) along the surface. It is 100% electric.
The foils(箔) they use are not new technology. They date back to 1898 and an Italian engineer called Enrico Forlanini. The Germans tested foil boats in the 1940s, the first hydrofoil ferry(水翼渡船) was used between Switzerland and Italy in the 1950s and by 1965, a hydrofoil boat was good enough for the James Bond baddie in Thunderball. What has changed, however, is the technology, which has improved to the point where it can now succeed in dealing with some of the shortcomings which prevented their widespread use.
The company has big goals; it wants to use the world’s waterways—and not roads—to transport people from A to B, and it wants to do so with “zero wave, zero emission(排放), zero noise.” The SeaBubbles would travel at the same speed as cars and the goal is to provide these at the same cost as a taxi, with customers ordering them through an app as they would an Uber.
Anders Bringdal, SeaBubbles CEO, told Associated Press that he hopes to change the way people move about cities. SeaBubbles are one more example of how shared public transport can change the mobility of large cities, much like shared bikes are now doing. People are increasingly looking to rivers as a means of moving around large cities to compete with the subway or buses—in London, travel cards are now accepted on river boats.
1. What do we know about the SeaBubble?| A．It has been used in Paris. | B．It moves as fast as a car. |
| C．It is under water when it moves. | D．It uses knowledge from other industries. |
| A．To give special importance to the breakthrough of foils. |
| B．To explain the reasons for creating the SeaBubble. |
| C．To point out the disadvantages of foils. |
| D．To show how the SeaBubble works. |
| A．To put traditional taxis out of business. |
| B．To work with Uber to transport more people. |
| C．To transport people on waterways worldwide. |
| D．To make environment-friendly inventions at low prices. |
| A．It may have an important place in public transport. |
| B．It has been widely accepted by many countries. |
| C．It will make the company world-famous. |
| D．It still needs more tests. |
6 . After nearly half a century behind the wheel, Hisao Matsumoto, 85, is not ready to stop driving. “I’m not that old yet,” he says. “I still have 15 more years to go till I reach 100.” Mr.Matsumoto is one of more than 5 million drivers aged 75 or older. A million more will be on the roads by 2021.Worried, the police are trying to persuade many of them out of driving, because over75s are twice as likely to cause a fatal (致命的) accident as younger drivers, according to the National Police Agency (NPA).
Nearly half of older drivers who caused fatal accidents had signs of cognitive impairment (认知障碍). Hundreds of older drivers turn the wrong way into motor ways every year. In January an 85yearold man steered his vehicle into oncoming traffic on a country road, hitting a car and two schoolgirls. Police believe he mistook the accelerator for the brake. The man’s family said he had rejected their requests to hand over his keys many times.
Such stubbornness is common, notes Kazunori Iwakoshi, who heads an NGO that supports elderly drivers. Many drivers argue that they have never had an accident and it is unfair to do that, so they resent themselves being cast aside.
Since last March over75s renewing their licenses must take cognitive tests to screen for dementia (老年痴呆). The NPA expects these changes to take 15,000 drivers off the road each year. Last year more than 250,000 over75s gave up their licenses after their families’ constant stream of persuasion, says Mr.Iwakoshi. His organization publishes a check list for elderly drivers, aimed at getting them to assess their responses themselves.
Mr.Matsumoto is lucky. His city gives pensioners unlimited access to public transport. However, thousands of elderly people are stuck in rural communities with no buses.
1. Why do the police try to persuade elderly drivers to stop driving?| A．To encourage younger drivers to drive safely. |
| B．To reduce the number of deadly accidents. |
| C．To introduce the National Police Agency. |
| D．To stress the significance of safe driving. |
| A．Praise. | B．Support. |
| C．Injure. | D．Dislike. |
| A．Tests to assess elderly drivers’ responses. |
| B．Families’ contributions to traffic safety. |
| C．Ways to renew licenses for elderly drivers. |
| D．Measures to control the number of elderly drivers. |
| A．It can cause some new problems. |
| B．It is popular among elderly drivers. |
| C．It will do elderly drivers more harm than good. |
| D．It brings about easy access to public transport. |
7 . As the coronavirus（冠状病毒）outbreak continues，many Americans are fearful of using public transportation. They are also looking for ways to get exercise without going to a gym. So, it may not be surprising that . the pandemic（疫情）has led to a major increase in bicycle sales.
In the US, bicycles at big stores have sold out. And small bicycle stores cannot keep up with demand for “family-style” bicycles: the low-cost, easy-to-ride models. “The bicycle industry is seeing its biggest sales increase since the oil crisis of the 1970s,” said Jay Townley, an industry expert. He compared the sale of bicycles to the rush to buy products like toilet paper at the start of the pandemic.
The rise in bicycle . sales is not happening just in the US. Italy has created bicycle paths for the growing number of people who want to avoid public transportation. In London, city officials plan to ban cars from some central roads. Bike shop owners in Manila say demand is even stronger than what they see at Christmas time.
Of course, you can only buy a bicycle if you can find one. In the US, the shortages now mean it may take many months to get a bicycle. High demand is not the only reason for the shortage. Many bicycle factories were shut down to stop the spread of COVID-19. The increase in bicycle demand began in March as countries began to close down. In April, the sale of bicycles increased 200 percent in the US.
Joe Minutolo is the co-owner of Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop in Maine. He said he hoped the increased sales meant a change in the way people think about transportation. “People are having a chance to rethink things,” he said, “Maybe we'll all learn something out of this, and something really good will happen.”
1. What change has the pandemic caused in Italy?| A．More bikes are sold than at Christmas time. |
| B．“Family-style” bicycles are in great need. |
| C．Cars are banned from some central roads. |
| D．New bicycle paths have been built. |
| A．It's impossible to buy a bike. |
| B．Bike factories were closed in April. |
| C．High demand for bikes began in March. |
| D．It takes many months to produce a bike. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. |
| C．Uncertain. | D．Critical. |
8 . North American Train Routes for a Family Vacation
The Adirondack
Considered one of the top ten scenic train rides in the world, the Adirondack train route travels from New York City's Penn Station to Montreal, Canada. The trip is great for a weekend away in either Montreal or Manhattan. The route will take you past West Point Academy, the Hudson River Valley and fifty miles of Lake Champlain.
The Vermonter
The trip from Washington, D. C. to St. Albans, Vermont, takes you from the U.S. capital, through the beautiful New England states of Connecticut and Massachusetts on the way to Vermont. As you travel through New England towns, you'll be able to see some of the most beautiful scenery in this area, including rivers, falls and covered bridges.
The Downeaster
The Downeaster was established in 2001 and was expanded several years ago northward to Freeport and Brunswick, Maine. The short ride (between three and four hours) includes a trip along the beautiful Maine coastline. With five round-trips offered each day, this route is a great way for Massachusetts families to visit Maine for a day or longer. Many of these routes carry volunteers to aid passengers with questions about local attractions and destinations.
The Pennsylvanian
Both New York City and Pittsburgh are great family vacation destinations and the Pennsylvanian route takes you through the beautiful Pennsylvanian landscape between the two major cities. The 9.5-half hour trip travels through a variety of different terrains(地形), and stops along the way including Newark, Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Altoona. The connecting train service is available for those looking to travel to Cleveland, Chicago, and Toledo from Pittsburgh.
1. Where is St. Albans?| A．In Vermont. | B．In Washington, D. C. |
| C．Near Lake Champlain | D．In Main |
| A．The Adirondack. | B．The Vermonter. |
| C．The Downeaster. | D．The Pennsylvanian. |
| A．By taking a train at Penn Station to Montreal. |
| B．By taking a connecting train at Pittsburgh. |
| C．By traveling to Cleveland and then to Chicago. |
| D．By traveling through New England states to Chicago. |
9 . Maybe in the near future, driverless cars may become common on the roads. Driverless cars have already been test-driven thousands of miles.
Driverless cars are not suitable for extreme weather conditions.
Another issue is that driverless cars have maps programmed into their memory, but these maps aren't always updated and accurate. New roads are built, and old roads are closed down.
| A．The safety problems have almost been addressed. |
| B．However, they are not yet available for the public. |
| C．Many advantages can be associated to the driverless cars. |
| D．Driverless vehicles also have trouble adjusting to new roads. |
| E．They may become confused by fog, heavy rain, or heavy snow. |
| F．Due to this, a driverless car may get passenger to the wrong destination. |
| G．But the driverless car only takes action when the child is in its immediate path. |
10 . Transport has a lot to answer for when it comes to harming the planet. While cars and trains are moving towards greener, electric power, emissions（排放）from air travel are expected to increase massively by 2050. If we want big green sky solutions, we need blue sky thinking. Fortunately, there's plenty of that happening right now, particularly the short - haul flights powered by batteries.
Harbour Air is the largest seaplane airline in North America, flying 30,000 commercial flights in 40 seaplanes each year. Significantly, all Harbour Air routes last less than 30 minutes, making it perfectly fit for electric engines. "As an airline, we're currently in the process of turning all our planes into electric airplanes. says CEO Greg McDougall. To make this happen, the airline has partnered up with MagniX to create the world's first commercial flight with an electric engine.
Making the skies electric isn't just good for the environment, it also makes sound financial sense： a small aircraft uses $ 400 on conventional fuel for a 100 - mile flight, while an electric one costs $ 8 12 for the same distance, and that's before you factor in the higher maintenance costs of a traditional engine. There's also the added bonus that electric planes are just much more pleasant to fly in. No loud engine noise, no smell of fuel, just environmentally friendly peace and quiet.
While there has been real progress in the e-plane industry, the technical challenges that remain are keeping everyone's feet firmly on the ground. A battery, even a lithium one, only provides 250 watt-hours per kilogram； compare this to liquid fuel, which has a specific energy of IL 890 watt-hours per kilogram. Carrying adequate batteries, however, would make the plane too heavy to get off the ground. In aircraft, where every bit of weight counts, this can't just be ignored.
The transition （过渡 ） from gas to electric in the automobile industry has been made easier by hybrids - vehicles powered by both fuel and electricity. Many believe the same pattern could be followed in the air. Fuel consumption could be reduced as the electric component is switched on at key parts of the journey, especially on take-off and landing.
It's certainly an exciting time for electric flying. With companies like Harbour Air taking the lead, battery-powered planes, especially on short-haul journeys, are set to become a reality in the next few years.
1. According to Para l, what is happening in air transport?| A．New explorations of the sky are being launched. |
| B．Pollution caused by batteries is being controlled. |
| C．Efforts are being made to make air travel greener. |
| D．Demand for short-haul flights is increasing massively. |
| A．It runs short routes. | B．It has a strong partner. |
| C．Its planes can land on the sea. | D．It has planes with powerful engines. |
| A．To improve the ground service for e-planes. |
| B．To find qualified technicians for e-plane industry. |
| C．To calculate the energy needed to power e-planes. |
| D．To balance power and weight of batteries in e-planes. |
| A．To produce new electric components. | B．To increase battery consumption. |
| C．To use mixed - power technology. | D．To expand the landing field. |
| A．Short-sighted | B．Wait-and-see | C．Optimistic | D．Skeptical |
