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

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?

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

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

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

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

Why does most of the world travel on the right side today? Theories differ, but there’s no doubt Napoleon was a major influence. The French have used the right since at least the late 18^th 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 drivers; earlier in its history, carriage and horse traffic travelled 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（改变）to the right. A driver would sit on the rear（后面的）left horse in order to wave his whip（鞭子）with his right hand; to see opposite traffic clearly, they travelled on the right.

One of the final moves to firmly standardize traffic directions in the U.S. occurred in the 20^th 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(坚持不变者). Several Asian nations, including Japan, use the left as well--- though 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 traffic since the 18^th 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 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 contribution 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 road?

Ray Charles was born on September 23rd, 1930 into a poor family in Georgia, U.S.A. His father was a railwayman who had to travel a lot, so Ray was brought up mainly by his mother, who, though not very well educated, was full of common sense. When he went blind after a serious sickness at the age of seven, it was his mother who helped him to face up to the situation. She told him he was blind, not stupid, and that he had lost his eyes but not his mind, she made him sweep floors and chop wood to show him he was by no means helpless. She used to tell him that some day she would not be there to help him, and that then he would have to look after himself.

Soon after he went blind, Ray began to take an interest in music. A neighbour showed him how to play simple tunes on the piano, and he had a love for the music he heard, played and sung in the local church. In the blind school the schoolteachers encouraged him to study a variety of instruments, Then, one more blow came. His mother died suddenly, and Ray, who loved her deeply, was so shocked that for two weeks he was unable to eat. It was another neighbour who finally managed to persuade him that his mother would have wanted him to go on, and reminded him of how she had believed in him. When his father died a year later, Ray knew he was strong enough to keep going on his own.

Between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, Ray worked with bands in Florida, but in 1948, while still only seventeen, he decided that there wasn’t much future for him there and decided to go to Seattle, in the north-west of the U.S.A.

Ray arrived in Seattle and went to a small hotel to sleep. When he woke up, he was hungry. It was two o’ clock in the morning, and everywhere was closed. Ray managed to find a small club and knocked on the door. A man on the door said they had no food, but “we’ ve got a talent night on here,” he added. Ray saw his chance and told the man he could play the piano and sing. The man tried to discourage him, but he was finally guided to the piano and sang a song. As he came off the stand, a man stopped him and said, “I’m from the Elks Club. I think you’ve got a weekend job.” That was Tuesday. By Friday he was working regularly, and after that he never looked back. It was the beginning of his climb to stardom.

1．Although he was blind, Ray’s mother made him sweep floors and chop wood for the purpose of making him ____.

　 A．helpless　 　　　 B．independent　 　 C．encouraged 　 D．useful

2．What played the most important part in Ray’s life?

　 A．His interest and talent in music.

　 B．His work with bands in Florida.

　 C．His neighbours’ help and his teachers’ encouragement.

　 D．His mother’s training.

3．What happened that made him extremely sad when he was a teenager?

　 A．He went blind.　 　 B．He lost his mother.

　 C．He became fatherless. D．The man tried to discourage him.

4．Ray got his big opportunity to success 　　.

　 A．in Georgia　　 　　　 B．in the blind school

　 C．in Florida　　 　　　 D．in Seattle