题目内容
Boris，________ in London for decades，knows every place well enough to be a guide．
A．lived B．living C．having lived D．to have lived
C
What is red but green, open but closed and old but new?
The answer is: London’s new double-decker（双层）buses.
Red double-deckers are a symbol of the city. Their status was sealed (确定) in 2008 when one bus made the longer-than-usual trip to Beijing to collect a special passenger: the Olympic Flame.
On November 11, a life-size model of the new bus was shown to the media. The Guardian reported that the new design shares some of the features of the much-missed double-decker Routemaster bus. The original Routemaster was introduced in 1956 but December 2005 saw the end of the old bus’s general service. It was because the bus was difficult for some passengers to use and not environmentally fr
iendly. But it can still be seen on two heritage routes in the city.
Its replacements —boxy, modern double—deckers—have failed to win Londoners’ affection.
London mayor Boris Johnson told the BBC that the new buses were “a combination of nostalgia（怀旧）and the latest technology”. “Standing on the back platform of this bus brings a sense of nostalgia but also shows the best part of the latest technology and design, making this bus fit for the 21st Century,” he said.
The new bus also returns to the driver—and—conductor model—a key feature of the original version. It will be quieter than the old type and have a platform offering passengers the traditional hop—on hop—off service.
The first five new buses will be seen on the roads by early 2012.
【小题1】Which of the following shows that red double—deckers are a symbol of London?
| A．They have a long history and are seen everywhere in London. |
| B．They have nothing in common with the traditional Routemaster bus. |
| C．One such bus went from London to Beijing to collect the Olympic Flame. |
| D．They carried British athletes from London to attend the Beijing Olympics. |
| A．The bus came into use in the 1960s. |
| B．The bus was banned because it was harmful to the environment. |
| C．Passengers didn’t like the bus because it was slow. |
| D．Visitors to London cannot see such buses on the roads any more. |
| A．has not been as well received as was expected |
| B．will be widely used in London in 2012 |
C．is the mo st environmentally friendly bus in the UK |
| D．combines the latest technology with key traditional features |
| A．The buses will make no noises. |
| B．The buses will have no conductors. |
C．They will be equipped with air – conditioning. |
| D．The bus platform will offer passengers a traditional service. |
London has become a cycle friendly zone after the launch of a new bike hire scheme．It has been designed to encourage more people to cycle in and around central London．
So how does it work？First you have to sign up to the scheme to be sent a key．The key will unlock one of the bikes，which are kept at docking stations in and around central London．You have to pay an access fee for the key and then you pay as you go，for the length of time you use the bike．
Transport for London, which runs the scheme，are hoping to have 6，000 bikes and 400 docking stations in place by the end of the year．The new hire system is hoping to ease congestion in London and is expected to generate up to 40，000 extra cycle trips a day into the city centre. London Mayor Boris Johnston launched the scheme and said London had been “filled with thousands of gleaming machines that will transform the look and feel of our streets and become as common place on our roads as black cabs and red buses”.
However，there have been a few problems since the scheme was launched last Friday．On the first day some people found they couldn’t dock their bike properly and their usage of the bike had not registered．Transport for London did admit they had been expecting a few “teething problems” and have said they wouldn’t charge for the first day as a“gesture of goodwill”．Some other people have criticized the lack of docking stations and locks for the bikes as well as the price it costs to hire the bicycles．
Despite the comments，the green-thinking London Mayor still seems very positive about things，saying，“My campaign for the capital to become the greatest big cycling city in the world has taken a gigantic pedal-powered push forwards．”
【小题1】Which is the correct order of a bike hire？
a．pay a usage charge according to the time b．pay for the key
c．cycle in and around central London d．sign up as a member to get a key
| A．b-d-c-a | B．b-c-a-d | C．d-c-b-a | D．d-b-c-a |
| A．People were unable to lock properly． |
| B．People could not dock the bikes properly． |
| C．People had no enthusiasm about the scheme． |
| D．It’s too expensive for some people to hire a bike． |
| A．the ‘cycling revolution’ failed once started |
| B．the scheme will be put off due to the problems |
| C．all the citizens in London are in favor of the scheme |
| D．the London Mayor has great confidence in the scheme |
|
AN upper class British lady once declared: “Anyone seen on a bus
after the age of 30 has been a failure in life.”
I guess she meant that if you’re middle aged and don’t have a car then you are a loser. How arrogant (傲慢) and ignorant！
Unfortunately, there are still people who think that way: that somehow public transport is only for the poor. And the rest have a right to their cars. Some wealthy folk in the West look down on buses and boast (吹嘘) about how many years it has been since they last traveled by one.
How sad is that? Our roads are packed with cars and the air is full of the pollution they emit (排放). But still, many car users are unwillingly to get on a bus or a bike or a train to take themselves to work.
It’s convenient to drive, they’ll say. Buses are so unreliable, they’ll claim. And trains are expensive ---- at least in the UK.
It’s an attitude which may have to change. It doesn’t make sense to drive a car in a city where there’s a public transport system. Also, these rush hour commuters (往返上班者) usually travel alone.
As a result, transport authorities in the UK are looking at solutions to city center congestion (拥堵).
One is to increase the number of parking spaces at out-of-town railway stations. More motorists (乘汽车的人) can then leave their cars and travel into the city by train.
Light rail or tramways are another environmentally friendly solution. Many cities across Europe have installed light rail or tramway systems.
The subway in London is used by everyone, rich and poor. It’s the quickest way of getting around the city, whatever your bank balance.
And then there are the cycle hire schemes you find in many modern cities. In London and Paris, you can hire a bike by the hour to get you where you need to go.
While commuters in Beijing abandon their bicycles for cars, cycling to work grows in popularity in the West.
Many cyclists are willing to pay more than 10,000 yuan for their bicycles. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is often pictured cycling to work. David Cameron, the British prime minister, cycled to the House of Commons before he became leader. These days he takes the prime ministerial limousine (豪华轿车).
1.. According to the article, some British people, like the upper class woman, think that .
A. buses are inconvenient B. bus services are unnecessary
C. having a car is a sign of success D. only the upper class should have cars
2. Which of the following measures is taken by transport authorities in the UK to solve city center congestion?
A. The development of cycle hire schemes.
B. Increasing the number of parking spaces in the city center.
C. Installing light rail or tramway systems in out-of-town areas.
D. Banning commuters from traveling alone during rush hour.
3.The author mentions the example of Boris Johnson in the last paragraph to .
A. express his respect for the mayor of London
B. point to the growing popularity of cycling to work in the West
C. criticize Beijing commuters for abandoning their bicycles for cars
D. show that cars are still the most common means of transportation for famous people in Britain
4. Which of the following might the writer agree with?
A. The British prime minister should give up his limousine.
B. Beijing commuters should learn from British commuters.
C. British solutions to public transport problems are inadequate.
D. Many car owners need to change their attitudes if the traffic problem is to