1. How are the speakers traveling?
| A．By air. | B．By train. | C．By car. |
| A．New York. | B．Washington D.C. | C．San Jose. |
| A．To get some gas. | B．To buy some food. | C．To ask directions. |
| A．China Airline. | B．China Northern Airline. | C．China Southern Airline. |
3 . In today’s not-so-golden time of domestic air travel, checking a suitcase for free is a luxury afforded to few. And those who do check their bags often find themselves stressing out during the whole journey, wondering if their luggage (行李) is actually going to arrive at their destination with them. As a result, more travelers than ever are choosing to bring their belongings into a carry-on bag — many of them big and heavy, with wheels.
The result? A boarding free-for-all (混战), as nervous flyers wait around the gate hoping to be among the first to get on the plane — all to get a tiny piece of overhead space near their seat. Unfortunately, the older versions of those highly desired bins (柜) were not designed with your average carry-on roller suitcase in mind. They must be laid down flat, leaving a small space above them that is of little use, while taking up a good piece of bin space.
Enter French aircraft maker Airbus launches its new “Airspace L Bins” designed to be refitted in only three to five days. These specially shaped overhead compartments (隔层) promise to create 60% more cabin luggage space than traditional systems. How? Simply by allowing travelers to load their carry-on roller bags vertically (垂直地) instead of having to lay them flat. Made of ultra-lightweight composite (复合的) products, the refit reuses many parts of the original bin including the sidewall, ceiling and lighting to cut down on waste.
Flight attendants will likely approve of the new compartments too, knowing they can complete boarding procedures while hearing far fewer complaints from flyers about how they don’t have a place to store their bags.
Luggage has long been a contentious and complicated issue in the aviation world, and that doesn’t appear set to change with or without bigger bins. In the end, regardless of traveler preferences, most would agree that if better-designed bins can speed up the time we spend getting on and off the plane, we’re all for them.
1. Which of the following stops passengers from checking their luggage?| A．Cost and security. | B．Habit and preference. |
| C．Character and personality. | D．Environmental issues and protection. |
| A．To get a convenient luggage holder. |
| B．To occupy the most comfortable seat. |
| C．To check their luggage free of charge. |
| D．To make sure their luggage is safe. |
| A．They are made of a single material. | B．They are all refitted under the seats. |
| C．Their parts are entirely newly made. | D．They allow luggage to be set vertically. |
| A．Bigger bins are not key to flights. | B．The luggage problem has been totally settled. |
| C．New bins can save time for passengers. | D．Travelers will change their preferences. |
1. Why doesn’t the man pack socks according to himself?
| A．He dislikes wearing them. |
| B．He will buy them in Mexico. |
| C．He doesn’t need them on the beaches. |
| A．About 6 kilograms. | B．About 16 kilograms. | C．About 22 kilograms. |
| A．At the speakers’ house. | B．At an airport. | C．At a hotel. |
5 . 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. |
| A．Their weekend plans. |
| B．Their trip to the beach. |
| C．Their favorite ways of traveling. |
| A．The Art Gallery. | B．Beijing Road. | C．The City Museum. |
8 . 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. |
| A．Rainy. | B．Snowy. | C．Sunny. |
1. Why will the speakers go to New York?
| A．To make a tour. | B．Togo shopping. | C．To have a meeting. |
| A．By car. | B．By taxi. | C．By subway. |
| A．His son. | B．His nephew. | C．His daughter. |
