1 . To drive or not to drive? That is the question for many foreigners living in China.
If you have a driving license issued by your home country, you can apply for a temporary driving license and drive in China without having to take related tests. The temporary license can be valid for three months at most.
If over 18 with a temporary or permanent residency permit but without driver’s license from another country, you also have the chance to get a driver’s license in China. To do this, you’ll have to pass four exams. Each exam can be taken twice.
| A．The valid period cannot be extended. |
| B．In case you fail, you can try a second time. |
| C．Applying for an official license is rather complicated. |
| D．But It’s up to you to decide whether to apply for it or not. |
| E．It’s strongly recommended that you sign up for a driving school. |
| F．Most find it hard to survive Chinese traffic without actually taking the wheel. |
| G．Once you plan to stay long in China, better obtain an official driving license. |
2 . People traveling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. Hardly can anyone positively enjoy sitting in a train for mort than a few hours. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. Reading is only a partial solution for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep. During the day, sleep comes in snatches. At night when you really wish to go to sleep you rarely manage to do so. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted.
Long car journey are even less pleasant for it is quite impossible even to read. On motorways you can at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater pan of the journey is spent on narrow bumpy roads which are crowded wich traffic.
By comparison, trips by sea offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, swim, meet interesting people and enjoy good food-always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. If it is not and you are likely to get seasick; no form of transport could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice up to a third of their holidays for the pleasure of traveling on a ship.
Airplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and expensive. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort. Traveling at a height of 30,000 feet far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. The real escapist can watch a free film show and sip champagne on some services. But even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied. An airplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. You really see the shape of the land. If the landscape is hidden from the view. you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch om for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled.
1. According to the author, reading help lessen .| A．The boredom of being in the train | B．The tiresome clicking of the wheels |
| C．The sleeplessness during the journey | D．The poor ventilation of the compartment |
| A．It is safe because the car usually goes at high speeds. |
| B．It is unpleasant because reading is quite impossible. |
| C．It is exhausting because you seldom manage to sleep. |
| D．It is dangerous because the traffic is always too dense. |
| A．The weather is terrible | B．The traveler has little time |
| C．The traveler feels seasick | D．The sea is not calm |
| A．Introduce diverse ways of traveling. |
| B．Points out the best mode of traveling. |
| C．Emphasize the advantages of traveling by air. |
| D．Compare the means of relaxing when traveling. |
3 . William Vickrey was the pioneer to propose congestion pricing in 1952 for NYC’s (New York City) subways and later for roads. It has been rejected for decades, but the idea finally has the green light in NYC officially. Earlier this month the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the agency tasked with enforcing congestion pricing, gave the policy the go-ahead. From May, decades after London made the identical move, drivers of cars into NYC’s central business districts will have to pay.
The hope is that the fees will ease the traffic burden.Commercial zones where cars crawl are listed to be charging zones. The MTA expects much fewer vehicles on the city’s streets, which should decrease air pollution and promote the economy. But what made the plan successful was what it should bring in — $1bn annually — needed for MTA capital projects, which should improve reliability as well as access to the transport system.
Nevertheless, the plan has not been met with universal delight. Take New Jersey,some of whose regions are within NYC, as an example.Since New Jersey drivers have paid to cross into the city before, the state has filed suit (上诉). Phil Murphy,New Jersey’s governor, who supports pricing in principle,but not seemingly in actuality, has said that “We can’t fix a broken MTA in NYC on the back of New Jersey commuters (通勤者).” Fort Lee, a town on the New Jersey side of the Washington Bridge, has raised air-quality concerns. It expects increased traffic as lorry drivers try to avoid paying fees.
“Past years have witnessed the decline of fuel taxes as a revenue source in transport while congestion pricing could be the possible alternative. If NYC is really committed to doing it, they will come to some kind of settlement.” says Nicole Celina of the Manhattan Institute.
1. What can we learn about congestion pricing?| A．It applies to American drivers. |
| B．It was designed for roads initially. |
| C．It gained approval in London before. |
| D．It is rejected by the American authorities. |
| A．To develop the economy. |
| B．To relieve the traffic load. |
| C．To obtain financial benefits. |
| D．To improve the environment. |
| A．Favorable. |
| B．Hesitant. |
| C．Objective. |
| D．Disapproving. |
| A．Fewer Vehicles Are Expected in NYC |
| B．NYC Charges Drivers to Boost Economy |
| C．NYC’s Congestion Fee Faces Controversy |
| D．Congestion Pricing Dissatisfies New Jersey |
4 . The 2023 China-Germany Automobile Conference was held in Jilin, Henan, and Zhejiang recently. At the conference, people discussed plans for new energy vehicles (NEVs) and collaboration (合作) between Germany and China.
China has established a competitive edge in NEVs. In 2022, China’s market share of NEVs accounted for more than 65 percent of the global total, maintaining its position as the world’s leading NEV market for eight years, China Daily reported.
Reflecting on the journey of leading Chinese electric car manufacturer (制造商) BYD, Chairman Wang Chuanfu recalled about 2003 when BYD entered into the NEV industry amid doubts and mockery, as few people back then believed in the future of NEVs. Surprisingly, within a few years, China’s NEV exports increased greatly. In 2022, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers reported an impressive total export volume of 679,000 NEVs.
In the European market, Chinese brands, such as BYD and Hongqi, have entered the top 50 best-selling motor companies across Europe, The Times reported. Shu Youxing, general manager of BYD International Cooperation Division and the European Automobile Sales Division, said that the company’s pure electric buses have now hit the roads of more than 100 major European cities such as Amsterdam, London, and Copenhagen, helping Europeans cut carbon emissions by over 200,000 tons.
NEVs made in China are also popular in Mexico. One local, Israel Aguilar, is deeply impressed. After nearly a year of trying out a Chinese NEV, Aguilar said he may never go back to driving his traditional petrol car, stating that the NEV offers better comfort.
“Technology is truly very important in these times, especially for a vehicle. And it has been truly extraordinary for me to handle these technologies that come from China,” Aguilar told Xinhua.
The thriving global expansion of Chinese NEVs is primarily thanks to the efforts of companies to improve their capability for innovation. One major example of this is China’s drive to become the global leader in making EV batteries, fueled by an advantage in the supply chain and raw materials such as lithium (锂) and cobalt (钴).
1. What can we learn about BYD?| A．BYD always maintains the world’s leading position. |
| B．BYD lost hope due to doubts and mockery. |
| C．BYD suffered hardship in its development. |
| D．BYD exports 679,000 NEVs each year. |
| A．Only BYD and Hongqi have entered the European market. |
| B．Chinese NEVs can help protect the environment. |
| C．Pure electric buses have caused many road accidents. |
| D．Importing Chinese NEVs is a main task for The Times. |
| A．Dismissive. | B．Satisfied. | C．Unclear. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．The ability of creation. | B．Cooperation with partners. |
| C．The big overseas markets. | D．Making EV batteries. |
5 . 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 |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| A．EVs are not the future. | B．EVs are being replaced. |
| C．EVs affect the environment. | D．EVs have alarming problems. |
Electric scooter safety
If you look around the streets of London, you’ll see the many methods people use to move around. Whether it’s on a commute to work, a trip to the shops, or a sightseeing excursion, there are people on buses, the Tube, cars, motorbikes, bicycles and even roller skates. The roads are already congested (jammed); and now there’s a new addition: electric, or “e-scooters”.
This traditional children’s vehicle has become more sophisticated over the years. And now, with the addition of a small electric motor, it’s become a cheap and easy mode of transport. Scooting around town can be fun and doesn’t involve much effort, so it’s no wonder they’re becoming increasingly popular in cities around the world. But following what’s believed to be the first fatal accident involving an electric scooter in the UK, questions are being asked about their safety and whether traffic laws should be changed.
Some scooter riders have been seen on pavements; others on the road jumping red traffic lights, adding to the frustration of motorists stuck in jams. In the UK, the law states that riding one on the public highway or pavement is forbidden. Riders currently face a £300 fixed-penalty notice and six points on their driving licence for doing so. But, despite this, it seems the increasing popularity of e-scooters means they can be seen everywhere. And now users are calling on regulations to be changed.
The UK government is looking at how safely they can be used on the road and is ‘reviewing’ the law. But its transport minister, Michael Ellis, has told the BBC that: “Micromobility products are appearing in countries across the globe and are an exciting innovation for which we know there is demand. However, safety must always be our top priority when considering their use on public highways in this country.”
There’s no doubt there are dangers in riding a two-wheeled scooter. Despite the fact that some of them can exceed 30mph, they sometimes only have one brake and no lights. They also become unstable if the rider hits a pothole, and however confident the rider may be, larger vehicles on the road make them vulnerable (easy to be hurt). So it seems more work needs to be done to give e-scooters a safe and legal space to travel in.
1. What is it that makes an e-scooter easy to ride?2. Why are motorists annoyed by those e-scooter riders?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement. Then underline it and explain why.
To answer the call of e-scooter users, the UK government is preparing to change the law about where e-scooters can be used.
4. Do you think e-scooters should be allowed on public roads? Why? (In about 40 words)
7 . China State Railway Group has recently implemented a new schedule for freight train services between China and Europe, with the aim of ensuring more stable transport times, improving efficiency, and boosting trade between Asia and Europe. The enhanced schedule includes five scheduled weekly freight train services operating along specific routes, enabling accurate determination of transport times between cities. For example, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, a freight train departs from Xi’an, China, to Duisburg, Germany, and returns to Xi’an on Tuesdays. Similarly, on Saturdays, a freight train leaves Chengdu, China, for Lodz, Poland, with the return journey departing every Thursday.
Unlike regular China-Europe freight trains, the new service features fixed carriages, routes, shifts, and set schedules for all sections of the routes, which ensures better control over operation times and improved efficiency. This enhanced schedule has reduced travel time by about 30 percent on average compared to other China-Europe freight trains, providing customers with quicker delivery of goods. Moreover, with fixed schedules and improved efficiency, the new service enhances service quality, ensuring more reliable and timely transportation.
Stable transport times offered by the enhanced schedule support the stability of global industrial and supply chains, facilitating smoother international trade. Looking ahead, China State Railway Group plans to develop more routes with set schedules to further improve the quality of China-Europe freight train services, strengthening the role of freight trains as a reliable alternative to sea and air shipping and supporting the smooth operation of international industrial supply chains.
In conclusion, the enhanced schedule of China-Europe freight trains represents a significant step forward in improving efficiency and reliability in international freight transportation, contributing to the stability and prosperity of global trade.
1. According to the passage, how many days does it take for a freight train to travel from Xi’an to Duisburg and return?| A．Four days. |
| B．Five days. |
| C．Six days. |
| D．Seven days. |
| A．Reducing the frequency of train departures. |
| B．Regularly adjusting transport routes. |
| C．Implementing fixed carriages, routes, and schedules. |
| D．Increasing the speed of freight trains. |
| A．To reduce the number of routes. |
| B．To increase the speed of trains. |
| C．To expand services to more countries. |
| D．To replace sea and air shipping completely. |
8 . Recently it has dawned on the government that closing more than 1,000 of England’s railway station ticket offices would not be very smart politics.The transport secretary, Mark Harper,announced that train operators had been asked to withdraw the cost-cutting strategy, which the government itself had originally pushed on them.The writing was already on the wall in the summer,when public anger led to an extension of the consultation period on the proposed closures.By the time it ended,750,000 responses had been recorded,99%of them negative.
The public’s concerns were over future access to travel advice and information,assistance for disabled people,safety at understaffed stations,and consequences for the digitally excluded. But the passionate opposition also underlined a widespread sense that railway stations must be more than transit(交通)zones.Combined with a reformed ticketing system,that insight should now inform a positive approach to breathing life into England’s railways and attracting more people back on to trains.
As a report published this autumn by the Campaign for Better Transport sets out,there is an urgent case for fairer ticketing reform across the network.For over a decade,the relative cost of taking the train rather than the car has skyrocketed,as fares have risen while fuel duty has been frozen.Over a third of the public are confused by the numerous types of ticket available,and the complex regulations that apply to them.Why should an anytime return from Chelmsford to London cost &32.60,when to cover the same distance from Grays to London costs E 13.40?
The failed attempt to shut down ticket offices had its roots in a short-term ministerial response to falling revenues(收入).But as the country strives to achieve a challenging green transition,the government should work to establish a simpler,fairer ticketing system that offers imaginative rewards to take the train;and to develop an ambitious plan for our stations —one that reflects their important role in the lives of the travelling public.
1. What does the underlined words in the first paragraph probably mean?| A．The public expressed their anger. |
| B．The proposal was put up on a wall. |
| C．Unfavorable outcome was expected. |
| D．The government adopted the policy. |
| A．They have expanded their services. |
| B．They have undergone ticketing reform. |
| C．They have included more transit zones. |
| D．They have seen a decline in public favor. |
| A．The popularity of car ownership. |
| B．The development of ticketing reform. |
| C．The problems of the ticketing system. |
| D．The application of complex regulations. |
| A．Rising Prices of Train Travel |
| B．Urgent Calls for Rail Revival |
| C．Failed Closure of Railway Stations |
| D．Tough Route to Green Transit Initiatives |
9 . 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. |
| A．The Glacier Express. | B．No. 6063/6064. |
| C．The Nilgiri Mountain Railway. | D．Royal Scotsman. |
| A．Its luxury. | B．Its route. | C．Its history. | D．Its convenience. |
10 . Researchers have proposed a novel method for counting and tracking vehicles on public roads, a development that could improve current traffic systems and help travelers get to their destinations faster.
Using the cameras already installed on campus buses at the Ohio State University, researchers proved that they could automatically and accurately measure counts of vehicles on urban roadways, detect objects in the road and distinguish parked vehicles from those that are moving.
In previous studies, Ohio State researchers found that using these mobile cameras provides much better spatial and temporal (时间的) coverage than relying on often temporarily placed sensors that don’t provide a view of many streets and roads in a city.
“If we collect and process more high-resolution (高清) spatial information about what’s happening on the roads, then planners could better understand changes in demand, effectively improving efficiency in the broader transportation system,” said Keith Redmill, lead author of the study.
“If we can measure traffic in a way that is as good or better than what is conventionally done with fixed sensors, then we will have created something incredibly useful extremely cheaply,” he said. “Our goal is to start building a system that could do this without much manual intervention because if you want to collect this information over lots of potential vehicles and lots of time, it’s worth fully automating that process.”
While still a long way from total implementation (实施), the study suggests the system’s results bear promise for the future of intelligent traffic surveillance. Transportation planners, engineers and operators make vital decisions about the future of our roadways, so when designing transportation systems to work over the next 30 to 50 years, it’s necessary that we give them data that allows them to improve the efficiency of the system and the level of service provided to travelers.
1. How can cameras on buses benefit travelers?| A．By shortening their travel time. |
| B．By making their schedules tight. |
| C．By decreasing their transport cost. |
| D．By improving their safety awareness. |
| A．They provide more spatial coverage. |
| B．They can’t detect objects on the road. |
| C．They cover less view of the urban traffic. |
| D．They accurately record the flow of traffic. |
| A．Operation. | B．Monitoring. | C．Protection. | D．Arrangement. |
| A．Transportation automation is on its way |
| B．It is time to improve the efficiency of traffic system |
| C．Transportation planners use cameras to make policies |
| D．Cameras installed on buses can better measure traffic |
