1 . China’s new bullet train is now the world’s fastest land vehicle (交通工具) China Rail-way Rolling Stock Corporation showed the production version of its magnetic levitation (磁悬浮) bullet train in Qingdao on Tuesday. State media says the train has a top speed of 373 mph. That speed doesn’t just make it the fastest train in the world, but makes it the fastest land vehicle. The bullet train is able to travel at such high speeds because of magnetic levitation. The technology uses electro-magnetic force to levitate the body of the vehicle less than two inches from the rails and drive it forward along the tracks. By riding on a cushion of air, friction (摩擦力) is completely reduced, allowing it to travel faster than traditional trains where wheels and rails are constantly in contact. Although China has made use of the technology for a couple decades now, it’s only ever been used at very limited areas.

China Railway says its bullet train will greatly help cut down travel time. At top speedy the vehicle will be able to complete the 754-mile trip between Beijing and Shanghai in just two and a half hours. That same trip takes just over three hours by plane, five and a half hours by current high-speed rail options or 12 hours by car. That could make the train an especially attractive travel option for business travelers in the country. It’s unclear when the new bullet train will go into operation. The vehicle that the company showed off on Tuesday is the finished article.

Of course, the train’s record might not stand for long. The Central Japan Railway Company is testing a maglev train. It will be able to top out at 375 mph, according to New Atlas. But that isn’t expected to be shown in public until 2027 at the earliest. That gives China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation plenty of time to refine and upgrade its bullet train and push its top speed even higher.

1. What can we know about the China’s new bullet train?

A．It is the fastest land vehicle.

B．It is close to the speed of sound.

C．It has gone into operation widely.

D．It has taken the place of the traditional train.

2. What challenge might China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation face?

A．The poor management of it.

B．The lack of money used to improve the train.

C．The competition from Japanese company.

D．The shortage of creativity from its engineers.

3. What is the attitude of the author to China’s bullet train?

A．Objective.	B．Doubtful.
C．Unconcerned.	D．Unfriendly.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The world’s most costly train.	B．The China’s new bullet train.
C．The China’s modern trains.	D．The world’s fastest vehicle.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How many countries will tourists visit on the 10-day trip?

A．Two.

B．Four.

C．Five.

2. What is included in the price for the 10-day trip?

A．Meals.

B．Entrance tickets.

C．Local transportation.

3. What will tourists do on the 6th day of the cruise trip?

A．Fly back from Alaska.

B．Tour the city of Alaska.

C．Watch a live performance in Alaska.

4. Where are the speakers?

A．In Germany.

B．In Canada.

C．In Switzerland.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What should people do if they need help?

A．Ask the speaker.

B．Tell an air hostess right away.

C．Push the button above their seat.

2. Where is the flight headed?

A．To Canada.

B．To Beijing.

C．To Chicago.

3. According to the pilot, when will the flight probably arrive?

A．At 4:50 p.m., Beijing time.

B．At 5:00 p.m., Chicago time.

C．At 10:40 p.m., Beijing time.

4. What will the temperature probably be upon arrival?

A．17 degrees.

B．20 degrees.

C．30 degrees.

4 . Is the west falling out of love with the car? For environmentalists it seems a(n) _________ dream, but it is happening. While those with young families may carry on using four wheels, a combination of our ageing societies and a new attitude among the young seems to be _________ our 20th-century car addiction. Somewhere along the road, we reached the high point of the car and are now moving down the other side.

That _________ takes several forms. Sales of new cars have almost halved in the US, down from nearly 11 million in 1985 to about 5.5 million now. We shouldn't _________ that to a great degree, though. Cars last longer these days, and sales go up and down with the economy. But we have hit peak car ownership, too. And, more to the point, peak per-capita travel (人均出行).

The phenomenon was first _________ in The Road ... Less Traveled, a 2008 report by the Brookings Institution in Washington DC, but had been going on largely unnoticed for years. Japan reached it in the 1990s. They talk there of "demotorisation". The west had its _________ point in 2004. That year the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia and Sweden all saw the start of a decline in the number of kilometres and average person travelled in a car that _________ today.

What could be driving us _________? Fuel costs and rising insurance premiums (保险费) may be a factor. And urban congestion, combined with an absence of parking places and congestion charging, makes an increasing number of us look on the car as a(n) _________ way to move around in cities where there are public transport alternatives.

Demographics (人口统计数据) are another possible __________. It is surely no __________ that "peak car" happened first in Japan, which has the world's oldest population. Pensioners do not drive to work, and many don't drive at all. There is also the rise of "virtual commuters" who work from home through the Internet.

Besides these new __________ pattern, leisure lifestyle are also changing. The biggest __________ in car use in the US is among people under 35. The number of American 17-year-olds with a drivers' licence has fallen from about three-quarters to about half since 1998. Twenty-somethings have recently gone from driving more than the average to driving less.

Social scientists detect a new "culture of urbanisms". The stylish way to live these days is in inner-city apartments, not the __________. Richard Florida, an urban studies theorist at the University of Toronto in Canada, points out that the young shop online, telecommute, live in walk-able city neighborhoods near public transport and rely more on social media and less on fact-to-face visiting. Given those changes, they can think of better ways to spend their money than buying a(n) __________.

1.

A．amazing

B．impossible

C．emerging

D．realistic

2.

A．admitting

B．discovering

C．causing

D．breaking

3.

A．side

B．peak

C．love

D．road

4.

A．give rise to

B．lose interest in

C．take notice of

D．keep pace with

5.

A．recognized

B．underestimated

C．neglected

D．overrated

6.

A．missed

B．common

C．tipping

D．focal

7.

A．suffers

B．occurs

C．pauses

D．continues

8.

A．into a state

B．onto the street

C．off the road

D．off the phenomenon

9.

A．dumb

B．individual

C．wise

D．efficient

10.

A．tendency

B．explanation

C．condition

D．alternative

11.

A．obstacle

B．accident

C．defense

D．evidence

12.

A．thought

B．behaviour

C．progression

D．employment

13.

A．fall

B．growth

C．difference

D．problem

14.

A．downtown

B．houses

C．suburbs

D．mansion

15.

A．car

B．computer

C．apartment

D．cellphone

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why did the man stop the woman?

A．To ask her for directions.

B．To give her a ticket for speeding.

C．To warn her about the kids in the street.

2. What was the speed limit where the woman was driving?

A．40 mph.

B．25 mph.

C．35 mph.

3. What will happen if the woman goes to traffic school?

A．She won't have to pay a fine.

B．She won't have to go to court.

C．Her insurance won't become more expensive.

4. What do we know about school zones?

A．There are sometimes children there even on weekends.

B．People are more likely to get tickets there.

C．They are more dangerous than other areas.

6 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

My family and I have managed     1     (cross) the North American continent, from western to eastern Canada in two weeks! I can’t wait to share the stories     2     you.

We started from Vancouver in a home on wheels with Dad driving.     3     he has such     4     poor sense of direction that we had got lost many times before we finally crossed the Rocky Mountains to see fantastic view. On the     5     (eight) day, we reached Quebec, where the funniest thing happened. Dad left Mom behind after     6     (get) some petrol and it was not until mom called that we realized it! To cheer my mom up, we     7     (go) to a typical Quebec restaurant for some delicious French food.

Now we’re in the very eastern part of Canada. We went on a boat trip yesterday in celebration of our trip. My mom dropped Dad’s phone into the sea when seeing an     8     (amaze) killer whale, which drove Dad mad.     9     (luck), we met another family from Quebec who will send some great     10     (photo) of the whale to us.

7 . Movies about the future often show people travelling around in flying cars. Last Tuesday, that vision came a step closer to reality for a Japanese company called SkyDrive, as it showed off its new flying car, the SD-03, in action. The small car flew around for four minutes, staying about 1-2 meters off the ground.

The SD-03 is powered by batteries and has 8 motors, which lift it straight off the ground. What made this test flight special was that a pilot was on board. Toraohiro Fukuzawa, who leads SkyDrive，said, “Of the world’s over 100 flying car projects, only a handful have succeeded with a person on board.”

Many groups worldwide are working to develop flying cars. Some governments, including Japan’s, are supporting the idea, hoping that in the future, flying cars will be useful for short trips like taxi rides in cities. Flying cars could also help reach places that can’t be reached by road.

What happens when a motor fails? If flying cars are crossing a city, an accident could hurt not just people in the car, but people on the ground, too. That’s why the SD-03 has eight motors—as backups.

Some people believe flying cars reduce traffic jams. But new systems will be needed to help control traffic in the air. With many cars flying around, these systems would be too complicated to be managed in real time by humans. Besides, flying cars are expensive. When it’s ready, SkyDrive’s flying car is expected to sell for between $300,000 and $500,000.

However, people who believe in flying cars point out that cars and airplanes faced challenges at first, too. With time, many of the big problems were solved. By 2050, Mr. Fukuzawa hopes people will be able to fly anywhere inside Tokyo in just 10 minutes. “I think flying cars will become normal in the near future.” he says.

1. What was special about this test flight?

A．The car flew higher.	B．The car was cheap.
C．The car flew on its own.	D．The car carried a driver.

2. Why is the SD-03 equipped with eight motors?

A．To ensure its safety.	B．To increase its flying speed.
C．To make it look cool.	D．To enable it to carry more weight.

3. Which aspect of the flying cars is mainly discussed in paragraph 5?

A．Their design.	B．Their application.
C．Their cost.	D．Their disadvantages.

4. What is Mr. Fukuzawa’s opinion about flying cars?

A．They can be easily bought.	B．They have a long way to go.
C．They have a promising future.	D．They are environmentally friendly.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Who is the speaker talking to?

A．Students.

B．Athletes.

C．Historians.

2. What will the listeners visit in the morning?

A．Wildlife park.

B．Cardiff Council Building.

C．Cardiff Castle.

3. What will the member of Cardiff City Council do?

A．Talk about medicine in ancient days.

B．Introduce the history of a Roman wall.

C．Show improvements in wildlife protection.

4. What do we know about the trip?

A．The whole journey takes three hours.

B．People will stay in a hotel for two nights.

C．Cardiff's famous stadium is the destination.

9 . The e-bike industry is exploding around the world as people adopt the idea of an environmentally-friendly alternative for the daily trips and a way to enjoy the outdoors. Creative minds are introducing e-bike innovations like creative new body styles. Evie Bee, a woodworker, model maker and university student, has combined her passions into a unique and beautiful wooden e-bike she calls Electraply.

The design was inspired by Bee’s love for the motorcycles of the past and the desire to honour and continue this design classic through a modern interpretation.

Electraply is composed primarily of materials of a sustainably sourced tree-poplar ply, which is the inspiration for the name. The use of wood threatened to make the bike too heavy, but Bee used poplar ply for the central frame (框架) so it was no heavier than an ordinary e-bike.

For the original bike, Bee collected the forks from an old jump bike. The decision resulted in the use of V-brakes (刹车) in the design. She says it’s not ideal but works for now, admitting, “The forks shall certainly be the first thing I upgrade once I have the money.” There are safety features to balance the system; the front brake is wired to the motor, causing it to turn off when the brakes are pressed.

Unlike most e-bikes, Bee didn’t try to hide the battery. In fact, she put it front and center. She explained, “The bike design was inspired by motorbikes, which have their gas tanks (油箱) visible. I wanted to carry this through into my own design, but change the gas tank for a battery!”

Bee is currently working on developing a Kickstarter campaign for Electraply with hopes of mass-producing and marketing it at some point. For those interested in working from the knowledge she’s developed in the process, she’s written two e-books she has posted on her website. One covers the design process for creating the bike, while the second details the construction process of turning the design into a real-life functioning e-bike.

1. What character of poplar ply is taken into consideration when used for the central frame?

A．Its security.	B．Its strength.
C．Its intensity.	D．Its weight.

2. Which of the following can best describe Bee’s present V-brakes of Electraply?

A．Risky.	B．Delicate.
C．Unsatisfactory.	D．Useless.

3. What’s the difference between Bee’s e-bike and most other e-bikes?

A．Bee’s e-bike was environment friendly.

B．Bee’s e-bike had the battery put in easy view.

C．Bee’s e-bike owned more advanced safety features.

D．Bee’s e-bike was powered by both gas and solar electricity.

4. What is Bee expecting of Electraply?

A．It’ll be made into production.

B．It’ll help raise money for charity.

C．It’ll enable her e-books to be bestsellers.

D．It’ll stimulate people’s curiosity about science.

10 . I believe that people should stop texting while driving because it not only endangers themselves but others around them. Family members, friends and strangers can be hurt by a simple mistake; their lives can be overturned(倾覆) completely.

Before I participated in the Thumb Wars campaign, I used to put sticky(粘的) notes inside my car to advise any person that was within it not to text while driving. I posted a quote on my social pages that said, “Drive now text later.” The message especially caught my dad’s attention. Since he is on the road about three out of the seven days of the week, we are all worried about his safety. He decided to never use his phone while driving. When it comes to informing other people about the dangers of texting while driving, I usually bring up conversations about driving which then lead me to lecture them on why they shouldn't text while driving. Thumb Wars has given me a new way and opportunity to prevent people from texting while driving.

The era we live in today is all about technology, and there is always the urge to text. Thumb Wars is an inspirational campaign that fights against that. What I was trying to achieve was to not only change my life, but also try to influence the lives of others for the better. I believe that I can make people realize the consequences of texting while driving. They all know that it is not worth it and could change someone's life instantly. I believe that if there were more campaigns like Thumb Wars there would be fewer accidents because more people would be aware of the effects of texting while driving.

All a person needs is inspiration and efforts to avoid texting while driving. Thumb Wars is a good channel, which makes it the ideal campaign to help with others and make a difference in this world.

1. What led to the author’s father’s decision to avoid using phone while driving?

A．The notes inside the author’s car.

B．The author’s quote on his social pages.

C．The author’s joining in the Thumb Wars campaign.

D．The conversations between the author and his father.

2. One of the purposes of the author’s joining Thumb Wars is to ________.

A．teach people how to use technology	B．ask more people to join it
C．earn some money	D．make others’ lives better

3. The author seems to agree that ________.

A．it isn’t worth texting while driving

B．people tend to ignore the traffic lights

C．attention is needed to text while driving

D．Thumb Wars was started by the author

4. What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

A．An Immediate Mistake	B．Thumb Wars
C．Turning off Your Phone	D．The Danger of Driving