From New Delhi to Beijing，commuters（通勤者）spend a lot of time stuck in traffic．In the United States，Los Angeles（L．A．）and San Francisco tie for second place（并列第二）for having the worst traffic problems．Washington，D．C．is in first place with the worst traffic，according to the Texas A＆M Transportation Institute．
In L．A．．drivers spend sixty-one hours every year stuck in traffic．These drivers know all too well how bad the traffic can be．Professor Cyrus Shahabi also knows about traffic jams．He said，“It’s a prison of cars．There are too many cars，you can’t move around a lot．I live more than 65 kilometers from my office at the University of Southern California．in L．A．．I’m always late even with the help of a navigation（导航）system．I thought it would be appropriate to do something to solve it．”
Therefore，he and PhD student Ugur Demiryurek decided to develop an app for that．The ClearPath app claims to do what other navigation systems cannot．Professor Shahabi says his program uses historical data to predict traffic conditions even before the driver leaves the house．
ClearPath uses two and a half years worth of traffic data from 9，000 sensors（传感器）on the roads of L．A．．It also collects information on accidents．
Professor Shahabi says his system does more than just respond to current traffic conditions．With ClearPath，he says，a driver can enter what time he wants to leave on a specific time and date，and ClearPath will give the fastest route．It looks at the entire road network，including surface streets as well as highways，before the driver hits the road．
Ugur Demiryurek says they will launch the free ClearPath app for roads in L．A．in two months．In a year，he and Professor Shahabi hope to have ClearPath available nationwide and overseas once they can collect traffic data from other cities．
“I thought always that L．A．had the worst traffic，but now I know that Shanghai，Beijing，Seoul，Tokyo，believe it or not，Singapore，Hong Kong definitely are examples that can immediately use this．”

1. 1.

   The ClearPath app can mainly be used to __________．

   1. A.
      predict traffic conditions
   2. B.
      kill the boring time
   3. C.
      avoid the traffic accidents
   4. D.
      collect the current news
2. 2.

   What do we know from Professor Cyrus Shahabi’s words in Paragraph 2?

   1. A.
      Living too far is his main reason for being late for work．
   2. B.
      Many drivers broke the traffic rules on their way to work．
   3. C.
      His invention was inspired by his experiences on his way to work．
   4. D.
      The navigation system he used on his way to work is out of date．
3. 3.

   What does Paragraph 5 mainly tell us about ClearPath?

   1. A.
      Its working principal．
   2. B.
      Its powerful function．
   3. C.
      Its appearance．
   4. D.
      Its safety．
4. 4.

   What can we infer from the last paragraph?

   1. A.
      L．A．has the worst traffic problems in the world．
   2. B.
      Around the world ClearPath has been used widely．
   3. C.
      Many cities can provide the data to do the study．
   4. D.
      ClearPath will have a big market in the future．

My house is made of wood, glass and stone. It is also made of software.

  If you come to visit, you'll probably be surprised when you come in: Someone will give you an electronic PIN to wear. The PIN tells the house who you are and where you are. The house uses this information to give you what you need. When it's dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights near you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them. Music moves with you, too. If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it for you. The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music. If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.

  Of course, you are also able to want something. There is a home control console (控制台) which is a small machine that turns things on and off around you.

  The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today. If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket. If I give you the key to my car, you can use my car. The car works for you because you have the key. My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.

  I believe that in ten years from now, most new houses will have the systems that I've put in my house. The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I've got.

  I like to try new ideas. I know that some of my ideas will work better than others'. But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, ”How did I live without them?”

1.The writer’s house is made of the following EXCEPT_________.

A. bamboo                 B. wood             C. glass          D. software

2.What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?

A. An IT expert.          B. A famous doctor.

C. A sportsman.          D. An experienced teacher.

3.The writer's new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because______________.

A. it has your favorite music following you

B. you can make a telephone call anywhere

C. the writer is able to change his new idea into practice

D. it is controlled by computers

4.What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. How to develop a new system.     B. The function of the PIN.

C. How great the computers are.      D. Easy life in the future.

My house is made out of wood, glass and stone. It is also made out of software.

If you come to visit, you’ll probably be surprised when you come in. Someone will give you an electronic PIN （个人身份号码）to wear. This PIN tells the house who and where you are. The house uses this information to give you what you need. When it’s dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights nearest you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them. Music moves with you too. If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it. The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music. If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.

Of course, you are also able to tell the house if you want something. There is a home control console (控制台), a small machine that turns things on and off around you.

The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today. If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket. If I give you my car keys, you can use my car. The car works for you because you have the keys. My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.

I believe that ten years from now, most new homes will have the systems that I’ve put in my house. The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I’ve put in today.

I like to try new ideas. I know that some of my ideas will work better than others. But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, “How will I live without them?”

What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. How to develop a new system.            B. The function of the PIN.

C. A home for the future.                  D. Easy life in the future.

What’s the purpose when the writer wrote the fourth paragraph?

A. To let readers know why his ideas are new.

B. To let readers know how special his house is.

C. To explain the importance of the PIN and the console.

D. To explain more easily what the functions of the PIN and the console are.

The writer’s new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because _____.

A. it has been controlled by computers

B. you can make a telephone call anywhere

C. it has your favorite music following you

D. the writer is able to change his new idea into practice

What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?

A. An IT expert.    B. A famous doctor. 

C. An idealist      D. An experienced teacher.

What can’t be done in the writer’s new house?

A. turns on the lights

B. play music

C. get a telephone call

D. go swimming

My house is made out of wood, glass and stone. It is also made out of software.

If you come to visit, you’ll probably be surprised when you come in. Someone will give you an electronic PIN （个人身份号码）to wear. This PIN tells the house who and where you are. The house uses this information to give you what you need. When it’s dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights nearest you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them. Music moves with you too. If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it. The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music. If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.

Of course, you are also able to tell the house if you want something. There is a home control console (控制台), a small machine that turns things on and off around you.

The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today. If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket. If I give you my car keys, you can use my car. The car works for you because you have the keys. My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.

I believe that ten years from now, most new homes will have the systems that I’ve put in my house. The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I’ve put in today.

I like to try new ideas. I know that some of my ideas will work better than others. But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, “How will I live without them?”

What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. How to develop a new system.          B. The function of the PIN.

C. A home for the future.                  D. Easy life in the future.

What’s the purpose when the writer wrote the fourth paragraph?

A. To let readers know why his ideas are new.

B. To let readers know how special his house is.

C. To explain the importance of the PIN and the console.

D. To explain more easily what the functions of the PIN and the console are.

The writer’s new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because _____.

A. it has been controlled by computers

B. you can make a telephone call anywhere

C. it has your favorite music following you

D. the writer is able to change his new idea into practice

What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?

A. An IT expert.    B. A famous doctor. 

C. An idealist      D. An experienced teacher.

What can’t be done in the writer’s new house?

A. turns on the lights              B. play music

C. get a telephone call             D. go swimming

My house is made out of wood, glass and stone. It is also made out of software.

If you come to visit, you’ll probably be surprised when you come in. Someone will give you an electronic PIN （个人身份号码）to wear. This PIN tells the house who and where you are. The house uses this information to give you what you need. When it’s dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights nearest you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them. Music moves with you too. If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it. The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music. If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.

Of course, you are also able to tell the house if you want something. There is a home control console (控制台), a small machine that turns things on and off around you.

The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today. If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket. If I give you my car keys, you can use my car. The car works for you because you have the keys. My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.

I believe that ten years from now, most new homes will have the systems that I’ve put in my house. The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I’ve put in today.

I like to try new ideas. I know that some of my ideas will work better than others. But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, “How will I live without them?”

What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. How to develop a new system.            B. The function of the PIN.

C. A home for the future.                  D. Easy life in the future.

What’s the purpose when the writer wrote the fourth paragraph?

A. To let readers know why his ideas are new.

B. To let readers know how special his house is.

C. To explain the importance of the PIN and the console.

D. To explain more easily what the functions of the PIN and the console are.

The writer’s new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because _____.

A. it has been controlled by computers

B. you can make a telephone call anywhere

C. it has your favorite music following you

D. the writer is able to change his new idea into practice

What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?

A. An IT expert.    B. A famous doctor. 

C. An idealist      D. An experienced teacher.

What can’t be done in the writer’s new house?

A. turns on the lights              B. play music

C. get a telephone call             D. go swimming