2 . When does the next train leave?

A．At 8: 20.

B．At 8: 30.

C．At 9: 00.

3 . Where does the conversation probably take place?

A．On a bus.

B．In the street.

C．At a museum.

4 . Why does the man live in the suburbs?

A．To enjoy a quiet life.

B．To live in a big apartment.

C．To avoid the traffic jam in the city.

5 . 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。

A freight (货运) train loaded with grain from Kazakhstan arrived in Zhangjiakou on Dec 13. It came after a journey    1    passed through the Horgos railway port in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

It was the first freight train from overseas    2    (arrive) in Zhangjiakou after the launch of the China-Europe (Central Asia) route at the end of August, and took 10 days to travel more than 4, 000 kilometers.

The government said the train’s arrival represented the    3    (office) opening of the Zhangjiakou section of the route in both directions, enabling two-way trade and establishing an important    4    (found) for the development of Zhangjiakou as a multimodal transportation. It also marked    5    significant step forward in constructing a comprehensive international trade corridor in Zhangjiakou, enhancing its level of openness     6    expanding the logistics network around Beijing.

The name of the trains, “Jingzhang”,    7    (combine) characters representing the cities of Beijing and Zhangjiakou. The train to depart from Zhangjiakou left the freight railway station in Xiahuayuan district on Aug 29, carrying 59 containers with 1, 322 tons of goods.

As the train network continues to expand, more cities in Hebei, Shijiazhuang, Handan, Langfang and Zhangjiakou    8    (include), are joining the cross-border railway transportation system. Zhangjiakou     9     (become) part of a comprehensive international trade corridor following the opening of the railway route     10    Europe and Central Asia.

7 . The possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurist’s dream. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars. It’s hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.

While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars, policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverless vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared.

Do we want to copy — or even worsen — the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transport — an unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing (叫车) services.

A study from the University of California suggested that replacing petrol-powered private cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could significantly reduce carbon emissions and cut the cost of transportation by 2050, which sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as responsibility and maintenance issues. But driverless car ownership could increase as more people become comfortable with the technology.

Policymakers should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesn’t extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.

1. As for driverless cars, what is the author’s major concern?

A．Safety.

B．Side effects.

C．Affordability.

D．Management.

2. According to the author, attention should be paid to how driverless cars can ______.

A．help deal with transportation-related problems	B．provide better services to customers
C．cause damage to our environment	D．make some people lose jobs

3. What does the underlined word “fielded” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Shared.

B．Replaced.

C．Employed.

D．Reduced.

4. What is the author’s attitude to the future of self-driving cars?

A．Doubtful.

B．Positive.

C．Disapproving.

D．Sympathetic.

8 . Key railway stations in England

St Pancras International

Located in London’s city center on Euston Road, St Pancras International is one of the leading terminals (终点站) for Eurostar international train services from London to France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

St Pancras station was established in 1868 and is one of the masterpieces of Victorian engineering. It impresses people with Victorian Gothic architecture and is one of the world’s most elegant railway stations.

Paddington railway station

Paddington railway station is also known as Paddington Underground Station. Situated in Paddington, central London, the station is close to Marylebone and Bayswater. Paddington was opened in 1838 and is the London terminal of services operated by the Great Western Railway.

King’s Cross railway station

Located on the edge of Central London in the UK, King’s Cross station, or London King’s Cross, is one of the country’s busiest stations. It was opened in 1845 and named in honor of King George IV.

Today, London King’s Cross is one of the main hubs (中心) of the UK railway routes, connecting many major cities, including Edinburgh, Inverness, York, Cambridge, Newcastle, Glasgow and many other domestic routes. What’s more, the famous Harry Potter platform 9³/ ₄ is set on London’s King’s Cross station.

Liverpool Lime Street railway station

Liverpool Lime Street is the central railway station in Liverpool, England. Established in 1836, the station is the oldest still-in-use grand terminal mainline station in the world. Plus, the building itself is quite impressive; its front was designed in the Renaissance Revival style.

Trips from Liverpool Lime Street cover plenty of destinations across England, Wales and Scotland. And being the busiest station in Liverpool, it serves over 16 million passengers a year.

1. Which station was put in use the latest of all?

A．St Pancras International.	B．Paddington railway station.
C．King’s Cross railway station.	D．Liverpool Lime Street railway station.

2. Where is King’s Cross railway station situated?

A．Outside of London.	B．On Euston Road.
C．Near Marylebone and Bayswater.	D．On the edge of Central London.

3. What is a fact about Liverpool Lime Street railway station?

A．It can help people travel to England, Wales and Scotland.

B．It is a major terminal for Eurostar international trains.

C．It is one of the masterpieces of Victorian engineering.

D．It serves no more than 16 million passengers a year.

10 . Where does the conversation probably take place?

A．In a car.

B．In a concert hall.

C．In a garage.