Question

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     Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there's no doubt
that Napoleon was a major influence. The French had used the right since at least the late 18th century.
Some say that before the French Revolution, noblemen drove their carriages on the left, forcing the
peasants to the right. Regardless of the origin, Napoleon brought right-hand traffic to the nations he
conquered, including Russia, Switzerland and Germany. Hitler, in turn, ordered right-hand traffic in
Czechoslovakia and Austria in the 1930s. Nations that escaped right-hand control, like Great Britain,
followed their left-hand tradition.
     The U.S. has not always been a nation of right-hand rivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse
traffic traveled on the left, as it did in England. But by the late 1700s, people driving large wagons
pulled by several pairs of horses began promoting a shift to the right. A driver would sit on the rear
(后面的) left horse in order to wave his whip with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they
traveled on the right.
     One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20th
century, when Henry Ford decided to mass-produce his cars with controls on the left (one reason,
stated in 1908; the convenience for passengers exiting directly onto the edge, especially...if there is
a lady to be considered). Once these rules were set, many countries eventually adjusted to the
right-hand standard, including Canada in the 1920s, Sweden in 1967 and Burma in 1970. The
U.K. and former colonies such as Australia and India are among the western world's few remaining
holdouts. Several Asian countries, including Japan, use the left as well-thought many places use
both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive cars.

1. Why did people in Switzerland travel on the right? 

A. They had used the right-hand since the 18th century. 
B. Rich people enjoyed driving their carriages on the right. 
C. Napoleon introduced the right-hand traffic to this country.
D. Hitler ordered them to go to against their left-hand tradition.

2. Of all the countries below, the one that travels on the right is ______. 

A. Austria  
B. England  
C. Japan    
D. Australia

3. Henry Ford produced cars with controls on the left _______. 

A. in order to change traffic directions in the U.S.
B. so that passengers could get off conveniently
C. because rules at that time weren't perfect
D. though many countries were strongly against that

4. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE? 

A. Before the French Revolution, all the French people used the right.
B. People in Britain and the U.S. travel on the same side nowadays.
C. The Burmese began to travel on the right in 1970.
D. All the Asian nations use the left at present.

5. What would be the best title for this passage?   

A. Who made the great contributions to the shift of traffic directions?
B. How cars have become a popular means of transportation?
C. How Henry Ford produced his cars with controls on the left? 
D. Why don't people all drive on the same side of the road?

Answer 1

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