1 . A report lasting almost three decades showed that transportation—flying, driving, rail, commercial shipping, etc.—is responsible for a larger share of domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (排放) than any other economic sector. Though passenger cars currently account for the largest portion of transportation-related GHG emissions, air travel is one of the fastest-growing polluters. In 2018, aircraft were responsible for 9% of U.S transportaton sector GHG emissions and 2.4% of total carbon dioxide emissions globally.
The carbon dioxide emitted from one round-trip flight from New York to London totals about 1,259 pounds per passenger, according to ICAO’ s Carbon Emissions Calculator—that’s more than what the average citizen of Kenya (and more than 30 other countries)emits over a full year.
Planes also leave behind those ice trails (痕迹)—called contrail clouds—which are even more polluting than the CO2 they produce. The word “contrails” is a mix of “condensation” and “trails”. They occur when waste gases mix with low-temperature, high-humidity (湿度) air. Contrails are harmful not just because they block sunlight, but also because they trap heat coming up from the ground, finally creating a warming effect below.
Today, alternative fuels that are similar in chemistry to traditional fossil jet fuel, but made from waste and raw materials instead, are becoming more commonplace. San Francisco International Airport has already started delivering sustainable aviation (航空) fuel through a pipeline; American, JetBlue, and Alaska Airlines are some of the industry players that have committed to using it.
New research suggests that because contrail louds form only in very low temperatures, reducing the altitude of fights even slightly could dramatically minimize contrail climate forcing. One study found that just 2% of flights in Japan’s airspace were responsible for 80% of that space’s radiative forcing. The same study estimated that if even 1.7% of flights reduced their altitude by 2,000 feet—which is a normal amount of variation from the flight path anyway—the climate impact of contrails could be cut by 59%.
1. What can we learn about air travel in America from paragraph 1?| A．It emitted more CO2 than passenger cars did in 2018. |
| B．It is the most convenient means of transportation. |
| C．It accounted for over two percent of global CO2 emissions in 2018 |
| D．It is considered as the largest air polluter recently. |
| A．Global warming | B．Low temperatures. |
| C．Expensive flying costs. | D．Increasing water in the air. |
| A．To show alternative fuels are much cheaper. |
| B．To prove alternative fuels are increasingly popular. |
| C．To announce alternative fuels have a huge effect on the air. |
| D．To stress raw materials of alternative fuels are common. |
| A．Change their flight paths. | B．Reduce some flight distance. |
| C．Develop alternative fuels. | D．Fly at a slightly lower altitude. |
2 . 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. |
1. 目前汽车带来的空气污染和交通堵塞问题；
2. 骑自行车的益处，既能环保，有利健康等。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
参考词汇：低碳生活 (low-carbon life)；节能 (energy saving)
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4 . It's a lesson that most of us learn years before were old enough to drive: Red means stop, green means go. Simple enough. But what happens when you live in a culture where green also means blue?
Drive around Japan long enough and you'll find “go” signals in different kinds of blue. “Is this signal broken?” you might ponder. “Did some careless workers install the wrong bulbs?” The answer, as Atlas Obscura points out, is not in the wiring, but in the Japanese language.
Hundreds of years ago, the Japanese language included words for only four basic colours: black, white, red, and blue. If you wanted to describe something green, you'd use the word for blue-ao. That system worked well until the word midori began showing up to describe green. Even then, midori was considered a shade of ao. This sudden switch-over had lasting effects in Japan.
Today you'll still see green things doubtfully labelled blue. A fruit seller might sell you an ao-ringo (blue apple) only to disappoint you that it's actually green. Likewise, green bamboos are called aodake (“blue bamboos”) and an inexperienced employee may be called aonisai, meaning a “blue two-year-old”. And that brings us to traffic lights.
Initially, Japan's traffic lights were green as green can be. Despite this, the country's official traffic documents still referred to them as ao. International traffic law commands all “go” signals must be represented by green lights, and Japanese linguists objected to their government's decision to continue using the word ao to describe what was clearly midori. The government decided to compromise. In 1973, the government passed through an order that traffic lights use the bluest shade of green possible-still technically green, but noticeably blue enough to justifiably continue using ao nomenclature (命名法).
So, while it may appear that Japan uses blue traffic lights, the government assures us it's actually just a very blue shade of green-green enough to satisfy international regulations blue enough to still be called ao. Don't ever say the government never solved anything.
1. What does the underlined word “ponder” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Remark. | B．Wonder. | C．Explore. | D．Hesitate. |
| A．The public preferred blue to green. |
| B．Green must be used with caution in Japan. |
| C．The word ao developed later than the word midori. |
| D．There were limited words to describe colours in Japan's history. |
| A．The colour of “go” lights is a mix of blue and green in Japan. |
| B．Japan's traffic lights still disobey the international traffic law. |
| C．Japanese linguists opposed changing the color of traffic lights. |
| D．Japan's traffic lights were first addressed as green in official papers. |
| A．Traditional colours in Japan | B．Interesting driving rules in japan |
| C．Why Japan has blue traffic lights | D．Why green can cheat people in Japan |
5 . The following are to help you find the train tickets most suited to your needs when you are in the UK.
The Student Railcard
The Student Railcard (or Young Person Railcard) is a great way to keep travel costs down. The 1/3 off train tickets can go a long way in helping you save, ideal for travelling to work, university or college. Whether you have an early morning lecture or you’re rolling home in the early hours after a night out, you can still get 1/3 off on all passenger rail services within the UK! The only requirement for this Railcard is that you need to be within the ages of 16 and 25, and able to prove it with ID.
The Family &Friends Railcard
Up to four adults and four children can use the card on big days out. Adults get 1/3 off train travel and children get a 60% discount on their fares with a Family &Friends Railcard. Children are classed as being between ages 5-15.
It can be purchased and used within 16 counties in the South East, even including the whole of London! Just remember that all users must stay together while travelling—in the same carriage and on the same train.
The Millennial Railcard
The Millennial Railcard is now available across the UK, helping “millennials” to save money on their day-to-day train ticket fares while encouraging more leisurely train travel on days off.
It is available for all who are between the ages of 26 and 30, regardless of peak or off-peak times. Costing just £30, the new Railcard can be used across the UK!
The Saver Railcard
Half off train tickets. That’s right, half! Pick up the new 16-17 Saver Railcard and let the savings pile up. It costs just £30 for the year or up until the date of your 18th birthday, making it one of the best value Raileards considering the kinds of discounts you can get.
The Saver Railcard can be used throughout the UK rail network. However, it is currently only available digitally. You need download the Railcard app and show ticket inspectors during ticket checks.
1. Which type of Railcard can only be used in part of the UK?| A．The Student Railcard. | B．The Family& Friends Railcard. |
| C．The Millennial Railcard. | D．The Saver Railcard |
| A．5-15. | B．16-17 |
| C．16-25. | D．26-30 |
| A．It is the cheapest among the four Railcards. | B．It requires its owners to download an app. |
| C．It can be used during peak times. | D．It requires its buyers to prove their ages. |
6 . Uber and Hyundai have joined forces to develop a flying taxi to be used for the ride-sharing company, and you could order one within three years. The two companies showed a model of the futuristic electric air taxi at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate, said, “We’ve been making satisfactory progress towards a goal of launching Uber Air ride-sharing program by 2023.”
The self-flying electric taxi is designed to carry up to four passengers with a pilot and fly on trips of up to 60 miles. It will be 100% electric, and during the busiest hours will need around five to seven minutes to recharge, according to Hyundai. And while the air taxi will be controlled by a pilot at the beginning, Hyundai believes that in the near future, it could be autonomous.
Hyundai will produce and deploy the air taxis, while Uber will provide airspace support services, connections to ground transport, and the computer system for customers. Mr. Allison added, “We believe Hyundai has the possibility to build Uber Air flying taxis at a great speed unseen in the aerospace industry of the present time, producing high-quality carriers at high volumes to drive down passenger costs per trip.”
According to Uber, the air taxis will first be launched in three cities — Los Angeles, Dallas, and Melbourne. Once the taxis are up and running, they could help to stop the pain of sitting in a long line of cars on a road that cannot move.
Jaiwon Shin, Head of Urban Air Mobility Division at Hyundai Motor Company, added, “We are in a completely new period of time in which the skies above our cities will be opened. Urban Air Mobility will set people free from heavy traffic, so that they can spend more time on activities they care about and enjoy.”
1. What do we know about the air taxi?| A．It will have room for four people. | B．It is expected to be used around 2023. |
| C．It can fly automatically when launched. | D．It will take several minutes to be fully charged. |
| A．Hyundai will volume-produce the air taxis. | B．Uber will help Hyundai deploy the air taxis. |
| C．The air taxis will be popular among the rich. | D．The air taxis will be used in the aerospace industry. |
| A．The service of Urban Air Mobility. | B．The growth of Urban Air Mobility. |
| C．The purpose of Urban Air Mobility. | D．The success of Urban Air Mobility. |
| A．Education. | B．Health. | C．Technology. | D．Business. |
