1 . 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 |
2 . London Underground
The world's first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time, the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages to get through. The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day. If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to go to and from work, they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This would help ease（减轻）the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems, the idea of the London Underground, the first subway system, was born.
The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays, but the fast track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the fast underground track which was 6 kilometers（3.7 miles）long. About 30,000 people got on the subway the first day. Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not allowed), and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However, the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot（煤灰）, as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems, riding in the Underground did catch on. It carried 9 million riders in its first year.
1. What led the British government to build the London Underground?| A．Traffic jams and pollution. | B．Population and pollution. |
| C．Overcrowding and traffic jams. | D．The poverty and subway problems. |
| A．It made the tunnels larger. | B．It put fans in the tunnels. |
| C．It cleaned the chemical gases in the tunnels. | D．It reduced the number of passengers riding in the train. |
| A．To relocate the workers' homes outside London, the government built the subway. |
| B．There were so many problems and delays that in 18th century the first subway opened. |
| C．The subway greatly eased the pressure of traffic. |
| D．There were not enough seats for the passengers the first day the subway opened. |
3 . A bicycle may be seen by most people as just another vehicle (交通工具), but for many Londoners, cycling is a way of life. According to an official UK government survey in 2017, about 570,000 bike journeys are made every day in London. In fact, almost half of the vehicles that pass over London Bridge each day are bikes.
London introduced a public bike-sharing system in 2010. “There can be no doubt that our trusty bicycles have changed the way people get around our great city,” Johnson told the Guardian in 2015.
In London, bikes are used for more than just taking short trips to and from the subway. No matter where you want to go in the city, taking a bike is usually the quickest and easiest choice.
And it’s not just shared bikes that the government is encouraging people to ride. In many companies across the UK, the UK government’s Cycle to Work scheme (骑行倡议) allows employees to buy a brand new bike without having to pay any tax (税). This means that it’s common to see many people cycling to and from work, and some employers even provide workplace showers and lockers (储物柜) for their workers. More importantly, a cycle-friendly boss may let you off for being late if you rode a bike to work. Not only is it great for the environment and our body, cycling is also good for the mind. According to National Geographic Magazine, “Bike riding can improve people’s happiness.”
1. How does the author show the popularity of cycling in London?| A．By making comparisons (做比较). | B．By using numbers. |
| C．By giving examples。 | D．By using famous sayings. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．Free bike-sharing services. | B．A tax-free bike. |
| C．Shorter working hours. | D．Workplace showers and lockers. |
| A．不惩罚 | B．解雇 | C．请假 | D．释放 |
4 . 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 causes the increase in bicycle sales?| A．Shortage of public transportation. |
| B．Outbreak of the coronavirus. |
| C．People’s desire to defeat disease. |
| D．People’s fear of natural disasters. |
| 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. |
5 . Petrol and diesel (柴油）cars may still dominate our roads, but their days are numbered. A recent university study found that current electric cars could be used for 87 per cent of daily car journeys in the US. That figure could rise to 98 per cent by 2020.
One hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric cars has been ‘range anxiety’ — drivers’ concerns about running out of juice on a journey. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. That said, charging points are becoming increasingly common throughout the USA.
Attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed quite considerably over the last few years. Not that long ago, electric cars were met with distrust, and their large price tags（标签） drove customers away. Thanks to improvements in battery capacity, recharging times, performance and price, the current generation of electric cars are starting to persuade critics. Plug-in cars will soon give internal combustion（燃料） engine models a run for their money.
As well as advancements on the road, electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol-powered outboard motors took over. Now, the global drive for renewable energy sources is bringing electric boats back. Steps towards electric air travel are also being made, with Airbus and NASA among the organizations developing and testing battery powered planes. The experiments could soon make commercial electric flight a reality.
Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions. Were the US to act on the study’s findings and replace 87 per cent of its cars with electric vehicles, it would reduce the national demand for petrol by 61 per cent. However, because of the production processes and the generation of electricity required to charge these vehicles, they cannot claim to be completely emission-free. That said, as many countries continue to increase their use of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner.
1. Which is the best title for this passage?| A．My Dream Car | B．History of Electric Cars |
| C．Problems with Petrol Cars | D．Driving into the Future |
| A．aim | B．barrier |
| C．consequence | D．step |
| A．They were expensive. |
| B．They were very poorly made. |
| C．They were not widely promoted. |
| D．They couldn’t travel at a high speed. |
| A．To introduce the history of electric travel. |
| B．To explain why the world needs more electric cars. |
| C．To show why more people have interest in electric cars. |
| D．To describe different ways electric vehicles can be used. |
6 . Urban Transportation in Canada
Public transportation & Transit passes
All cities and most major towns in Canada have a public transportation system with one or more modes of transportation (bus, subway, train, etc.). The bus is the most common form of urban transportation in Canada. To use public transportation, you must purchase a ticket or a transit pass. Transit passes allow you unlimited use of public transportation for a specific period (one month or more). They are usually cheaper than buying many tickets if you plan to use public transportation often.
Transportation for people with disabilities
Public transportation often has features to assist people with disabilities. In many cities and towns, there are also transportation services available specifically for people with limited mobility, such as specially equipped buses. You can find out about these services in the same way you would learn more about other public transportation options.
Etiquette on public transportation
When taking public transportation such as a bus or train, it is important to understand the unspoken rules of conduct in the shared space. Here are a few things to note:
◆ Be polite and respectful to others around you. For example, maintain an appropriate noise level when talking or making a phone call.
◆ If you are carrying a backpack or a large shoulder bag in a crowded public transit vehicle, keep it close to you, preferably at your feet to avoid hitting people with it as you walk by.
◆ Avoid pushing or touching others in order to make more room for yourself. Sometimes public transit can become very crowded, but it is important to keep calm and give others appropriate personal space.
◆ Have your proof of payment accessible in case you are asked to show it.
1. What is the advantages of using transit passes over buying tickets?| A．Lower costs. | B．Safer trips. |
| C．Longer service hours. | D．More use of transport. |
| A．By offering fewer transportation options. |
| B．By running special transport services. |
| C．By limiting their mobility on city buses. |
| D．By providing free rides in towns and cities. |
| A．Lowering your speaking voice. | B．Placing backpacks at your feet. |
| C．Having your proof of payment at hand. | D．Staying close to other passengers. |
7 . Grey clouds move as low as smoke over the treetops at Lolo Pass. The ground is white. The day is June 10.It has been snowing for the past four days in the Bitterroot Mountains. Wayne Fairchild is getting worried about our trek over the Lolo Trail-95 miles from Lolo Montana to Weippe in Idaho, across the roughest country in the West. Lewis and Clark were nearly defeated 200 years ago by snowstorms on the Lolo. Today Fairchild is nervously checking the weather reports. He has agreed to take me across the toughest, middle section of the trail.
When Lewis climbed on top of Lemhi Pass,140 miles south of Missoula, on Aug.12,1805,he was astonished by what was in front of him; “high mountain chains still to the West of us with their tops partially covered with snow.” Nobody in what was then the US knew the Rocky Mountains existed, with peaks twice as high as anything in the Appalachians back East.
Today their pathway through those mountains holds more attraction than any other ground over which they traveled, for its raw wilderness is an evidence to the character of two cultures: the explorers who braved its hardships and the Native Americans who prize and conserve the path as a sacred (神圣的)gift. It remains today the same condition as when Lewis and Clark walked it.
The Lolo is passable only from July to mid-September. Our luck is holding with the weather, although the snow keeps getting deeper. As we climb to Indian Post Office, the highest point on the trail at 7,033 ft, we have covered 13 miles in soft snow, and we hardly have enough energy to make dinner. After a meal of chicken, I sit on a rock on top of the ridge (山脊）.There is no light visible in any direction, not even another campfire. For four days we do not see another human being. We are occupied with the things that mix fear with joy. In our imagination we have finally caught up with Lewis and Clark.
1. We learn from the text that before 1805 .| A．The Rocky Mountains were wholly covered with snow |
| B．there were no people living in the western part of America |
| C．no Americans knew of the existence of the Rocky Mountains |
| D．the Appalachians were the western frontier of the United States |
| A．has changed a lot since 1805 |
| B．is the meeting point of three cultures |
| C．remains much the same as it was 200 years ago |
| D．now attracts a large number of tourists to visit |
| A．two native Indians |
| B．explorers of the early 19th century |
| C．merchants who did business with the Indians |
| D．travelers whose curiosity took them over the Lolo Pass |
| A．was attempting the impossible |
| B．was trying to set a world record |
| C．was following the trail of Lewis and Clark |
| D．was fighting with weather and taking unnecessary risks |
8 . “I didn’t hear them call my name.” explained Shelley Hennig to Active Teens (AT) when she talked about that exciting moment on national television when she won the honor of Miss Teen USA 2004. “Are you ready?” is what she heard. Then she said, “I shook my head no, and then they said ‘yes’ and it was announced again.”
It was four days after that life changing moment for the seventeen-year-old high school student from Destrehan, Louisiana—she was still on cloud nine.
“I was so shocked! I never believed that it could actually really happen.” Present in the audience that day were: her mother and father, older brother, her friends, and her dance teacher.
AT asked why her dance teacher had traveled so far to see her compete. “She’s always been my role model. I’ve danced with her since I was six. She’s been through so many difficulties and came through them all. I’ve learned to get over bad life’s experiences and learned how to move on because of her.” One of those bad life’s experiences for Shelley happened three years ago when her brother Brad was killed in a drunk driving accident. He was 18.
As Miss Louisiana Teen, she traveled around the state speaking to teens about the dangers of drinking and driving. In her role as Miss Teen USA, Shelley will continue to speak to youth about safe driving, together with many other things to help the teenagers.
When AT asked Miss Teen USA if she had any advice for our readers, she said, “Don’t let anyone change you. Hang out with people that make you feel good about yourself. That way, it is easy to be yourself.”
1. The underlined words “on cloud nine” in Paragraph 2 probably mean “very______”?| A．Frightened |
| B．Happy |
| C．troubled |
| D．angry |
| A．determined |
| B．friendly |
| C．strict |
| D．experienced |
| A．She made speeches on safe driving. |
| B．She often gave dance performances. |
| C．She usually visited drunken drivers. |
| D．She helped teens with their students. |
| A．Have a good role model for themselves. |
| B．Meet their friends whenever it’s possible. |
| C．Always be nice to themselves and others. |
| D．Be themselves with the support of others. |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
A city without cars would be very strange, right? But Venice is such a city.
Venice is in the northeast of Italy. It wasn’t built on land, like Beijing or Shanghai, but on more than 110 islands. Seawater is everywhere around the city.
Even so, travel isn’t difficult. The waterways have always been the best way to get around. There are 117 waterways and more than 400 bridges that can guide you where you want to go. People in Venice move from place to place by boat.
Water makes the city special, but it is also a big problem. Sometimes tourists will have such strange experiences. One moment they walk across the Rialto Bridge, and there’s nothing special. But when they come back to the bridge an hour later, it’s underwater and everyone is wearing rain shoes.
Once, people used too much underground water. This made the city get lower little by little. Now the city has gone down by 23 centimeters. Another problem is the rising seawater. The temperature has risen over the years. This has made the ice of the Arctic Ocean (北冰洋) melt (融化). Every year, high waters hit the city in autumn and winter. When a lot of water comes, more than half of the city is underwater.
Scientists are trying different ways to stop the city from getting even lower. The Italian government has asked some of Italy’s biggest companies to build the MOST project, which was planned to be built under the seawater to stop the rising water. Anyway, this project is helping solve the problem.
1. Which is the best way to travel in Venice?
| A．The waterways. | B．Taxis and cars. |
| C．400 bridges. | D．Boats and rain shoes. |
| A．The ice of the Arctic Ocean melt. |
| B．Seawater is everywhere around the city. |
| C．People used too much underground water |
| D．The temperature has become higher over the years. |
| A．Venice is sure to stop getting lower. |
| B．High waters won’t hit Venice any more. |
| C．Scientists can solve the problems easily. |
| D．Some possible ways help to solve the problem. |
| A．The History of Venice |
| B．The MOST Project of Venice. |
| C．The Places of Interest of Venice |
| D．The Specials and Problems of Venice |
10 . It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible. Everybody knows that the nicest man would become fierce tigers behind the wheel. It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver's seat is another matter.
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense. It takes the most cool-hearted drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving. On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting. A friendly nod or a wave, or thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and becomes so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But suc
h behaviors of politeness are by no means enough. Many drivers nowadays don't even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.
However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous. Typical example is the driver who waves to a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may not be able to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to.
An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total jams that give rise to unpleasant feelings. Unfortunately, modern drivers can't even learn to drive, let alone master the roadmanship(驾车技能). Years ago, experts warned us that th
e fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give-and-take from all road users. It is high time that all of us took this message to heart.
| A．beat back when forced to face rude driving |
| B．be able to recognize politeness when he sees it |
| C．join in traffic stream quickly however other people feel |
| D．encourage children to cross the roads whenever they want to |
| A．great speed | B．traffic jams |
| C．terrible road conditions | D．the behaviors of the drivers |
| A．master roadmanship | B．create atmosphere of good will |
| C．encourage old ladies to cross the road | D．give a friendly nod to show politeness |
| A．Road Politeness | B．Traffic Jams |
| C．Good Manners | D．Modern Drivers |
