1 . On Feb. 21, four students were standing on the side of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu when a driver going 110 miles per hour lost control of his car and it crashed into the parked vehicles.12 people were killed at the scene, including 2 drivers.

This kind of traffic death shouldn’t be called an accident. In Los Angeles, we seem to have accepted constant carnage (屠杀) in our streets in exchange for maximizing driver speed and convenience. The official responses to proven traffic dangers are mere gestures, if even that.

Los Angeles is a uniquely deadly city with a death rate that is four times the national average. Unsurprisingly, it’s also a city that has been designed with one thing in mind: a concept called level of service, which grades streets on how well they serve those in automobiles. To many Angelenos, that makes sense — to design our streets for car traffic, which is the way many get around the city. Unfortunately, we don’t recognize that there’s a trade-off. We can either have streets bettered for free-flowing traffic, or we can design streets for people to move around safely outside of cars.

City leaders consistently choose for the easy but deadly option. In one recent example, a resident asked the city’s Department of Transportation to block drivers from using Cochran Avenue at Venice Boulevard as a cut-through street, as they were speeding through a quiet residential neighbourhood. The department responded by suggesting a “speed awareness campaign” in which neighbours put up yard signs urging drivers to slow down.

People don’t drive based on signage, but they drive on the design of the street. The trunk roads of Los Angeles such as Venice Boulevard all need to be revised so that people are prioritized over cars. This would include narrowing travel lanes (道), building bike lanes, and banning right turns at red lights. These measures would make drivers feel like they’re in a city and not on a highway. A recent John Hopkins study says this would have substantial safety benefits.

With more than 7,500 miles of streets in the city of Los Angeles, they won’t all be rebuilt anytime soon. But with each road construction project, or each crash, we should be revising streets to make them safer for all road users.

The solution to traffic jam isn’t to make more space for cars. It’s to design the streets to be safe enough for alternatives such as biking, walking and mass transit, especially for the 50% of trips daily in Los Angeles that are less than three miles. The solution to protecting people dining outdoors isn’t crash barriers. It’s a street design that forces drivers to go slowly. The problem is carnage in the streets, and we know the solutions.

1. Why should the traffic death in Los Angeles be called “constant carnage”?

A．The traffic accidents happen quite often.

B．Too many people are killed in the traffic accidents.

C．The drivers’ speeding is to blame for the traffic death.

D．City leaders’ consistent choice contributes to the traffic death.

2. What does the word “trade-off” underlined in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?

A．Balance.

B．Guideline.

C．Conflict.

D．Resolution.

3. According to the passage, which is a likely solution to the traffic problem?

A．To widen travel lanes.	B．To add more crosswalks.
C．To arrange more traffic police.	D．To punish speeding drivers.

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Drivers first or walkers first?	B．Traffic death or constant carnage?
C．More warning signs or safer designs?	D．More narrow lanes or speedy highways?

2 . Getting Around Washington, DC by Public Transportation

Washington, DC, is not an easy city to drive in. If you’d rather avoid the headache of driving, consider taking advantage of the city’s public transportation system during your visit.

Public transportation

When Washingtonians say “Metro” or “Metrorail”, they mean the subway. The bus system is called Metrobus, and is usually simply referred to as the bus. Six rail lines (Red, Yellow, Blue, Silver, Green, and Orange) and an extensive bus system (more than 15,000 stops on 400 routes) connect DC to Maryland and Virginia.

Rail station entrances are marked with towers topped with the letter“M”. Stripes (线条)of color indicate, the lines traveling down below. Each, train, displays the name of its farthest destination.

Operating hours

Metro Operating Hours

DAY	TIME
Monday-Thursday	5 am-12 am
Friday	5 am-1 am
Saturday	7 am-1 am
Sunday	7 am-12 am

Metrobus schedules vary by route. Free transfers (转乘) to use within two hours are available, and they are accepted on most local buses in addition to Metrobuses.

Fares

Metrorail fares run $1.35 to $3.90 based on distance traveled. A $6.50 One Day Pass is valid (有效的) for unlimited Metrorail travel on weekdays after 9:30 am or all day Saturdays or Sundays. Bus fares are $1.25, and 60 cents for seniors and people with disabilities, and $3 for express buses. The DC Circulator primarily serves visitors. This bus service connects major tourist attractions and parts of town. Each ride is $1.

1. What does a color represent in the DC Metro?

A．A rail line.

B．The subway.

C．A rail station.

D．A day of the week.

2. What are the Metro schedules set based on?

A．Weekdays and weekends.	B．Distances and departure times.
C．Starting points and destinations.	D．Fares and the number of passengers.

3. When can One Day Pass be used on Metrorail lines on Sundays?

A．From 5 am to 12 am.	B．From 7 am to 12 am.
C．From 9:30 am to 1 am.	D．From 5 am to 1 am.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman looking at?

A．A map of the city.

B．A list of restaurants.

C．A schedule of activities.

2. What season is it?

A．Spring.

B．Summer.

C．Autumn.

3. Where does the conversation probably take place?

A．At a concert.

B．In the street.

C．In a restaurant.

4. Why is the man happy?

A．He likes helping visitors.

B．He just went to a concert in the park.

C．He will take a walk with the woman.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How long has the man lived in this area?

A．For 5 years.

B．For 10 years.

C．For 20 years.

2. How far is the gas station from the place where the two speakers are?

A．About half a mile.

B．About two miles.

C．About two and a half miles.

3. What can be known about the gas station?

A．It has a red roof.

B．It is very large.

C．It is very small.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the man’s purpose in calling?

A．To book a flight ticket．

B．To change the departure time．

C．To confirm his departure date．

2. Why won’t the man leave on June 13th?

A．He doesn’t like the number 13．

B．There isn’t any seat available．

C．It is too early for him．

9 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

In 2023, Indonesia started Southeast Asia’s first-ever high-speed rail line that connects two of its biggest cities, Jakarta and Bandung. The $7.3 billion project, largely funded and built by Chinese firms, opened to the public on October 2nd. The builders planned     1     (complete) the project in 2019 but they had to face many operational difficulties and delayed.

Videos taken     2     board and shared on social media showed off the large air-conditioned cabin inside and clear window views of the Indonesian countryside as the train     3     (speed) off. The 142-kilometer high-speed rail line, officially named WHOOSH,     4     stands for “time saving, optimal (优化) operation, reliable system” in Indonesian, runs on electricity with no direct carbon emissions and travels at a speed of     5     (rough) 350 kilometers per hour,     6     (cut) travel time between Jakarta and Bandung from three hours to under     7     (little) than an hour.

The trains, modified for Indonesia’s tropical climate, are equipped with a safety system that can respond to earthquakes, floods and other emergency     8     (condition). The train has eight cars, all equipped with Wi-Fi and USB charging points, and     9     (seat) 601 passengers.

The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway will not only improve Indonesian infrastructure (基础设施)     10     promote the development of Indonesia’s railroad and manufacturing industries.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the woman think of the local train?

A．Crowded.

B．Cheap.

C．Fast.

2. What kind of train is the man most curious about?

A．The local train.

B．The express train.

C．The through train.

3. What type of seat does the man choose?

A．Coach.

B．Business class.

C．First class.

4. In which city is the man now?

A．Chicago.

B．New York.

C．Washington.