Train-spotting
Many people around the world have seen Danny Boyle’s movie Train spotting starring Ewan McGregor, but how many of us really know what train-spotting is all about? Now this is not considered cool in town and the word “train-spotter” in Britain is related to “geek” or “nerd” (someone who seems very ridiculous). But is this reputation really deserved?
First of all, let’s see what train-spotting is. It is said that there are some 100,000 train spotters in the UK. Exactly as the title suggests, they spot trains, that is, they stand in train stations, look at the number of each train that leaves and arrives and write it down. The eventual aim is to have seen every train in the country.
Being crazy about railways and trains is not modern and it dates back to 1804. As the number of trains grew and they got faster and faster, so did the interest in them grow? Is this any stranger than people who love cars?
So, what do you need to be a train-spotter? Well, all you really need is a pen or pencil and a notebook to write down the train numbers. Other equipment(装备) includes hot tea in a thermos, a camera and some sandwiches for those long afternoons spent on train platforms when you don’t want to risk the delights of railway station food.
It’s interesting to note that despite the “bad name” of train-spotting, there have been famous railway lovers in history, such as Alfred Hitchcock, who filmed them regularly, especially The 39 Steps. There is evidence, too, that being a train-spotter is not necessarily a strange phenomenon（现象）in Britain.
One glance at the US train stations should be enough to convince you that train-spotters there are alive and well. In America, they try to call rail lovers “train-fans” and talk of “train-fanning”. Don’t let this fool you—these people are train spotters and there are a lot of them. Each month, two million pages are visited on the website TrainWeb.org.                     
340words
【小题1】What is train-spotting according to the passage?

Train-spotting

Many people around the world have seen Danny Boyle’s movie Train spotting starring Ewan McGregor, but how many of us really know what train-spotting is all about? Now this is not considered cool in town and the word “train-spotter” in Britain is related to “geek” or “nerd” (someone who seems very ridiculous). But is this reputation really deserved?

First of all, let’s see what train-spotting is. It is said that there are some 100,000 train spotters in the UK. Exactly as the title suggests, they spot trains, that is, they stand in train stations, look at the number of each train that leaves and arrives and write it down. The eventual aim is to have seen every train in the country.

    Being crazy about railways and trains is not modern and it dates back to 1804. As the number of trains grew and they got faster and faster, so did the interest in them grow? Is this any stranger than people who love cars?

    So, what do you need to be a train-spotter? Well, all you really need is a pen or pencil and a notebook to write down the train numbers. Other equipment(装备) includes hot tea in a thermos, a camera and some sandwiches for those long afternoons spent on train platforms when you don’t want to risk the delights of railway station food.

    It’s interesting to note that despite the “bad name” of train-spotting, there have been famous railway lovers in history, such as Alfred Hitchcock, who filmed them regularly, especially The 39 Steps. There is evidence, too, that being a train-spotter is not necessarily a strange phenomenon（现象）in Britain.

    One glance at the US train stations should be enough to convince you that train-spotters there are alive and well. In America, they try to call rail lovers “train-fans” and talk of “train-fanning”. Don’t let this fool you—these people are train spotters and there are a lot of them. Each month, two million pages are visited on the website TrainWeb.org.                      

340words

1.What is train-spotting according to the passage?

A. A kind of hobby.             B. A type of sport.

C. A strange phenomenon.        D. A special job.

2.Which of the following about train-spotters is true according to the passage?

A. They number each train they see.

B. They keep a careful path of every train.

C. They count the trains passing in front of them.

D. They produce films about trains with video cameras.

3.The writer writes the passage to        .

A. introduce some famous train-spotters

B. encourage readers to do more train-spotting

C. try to present a true picture of train-spotting

D. describe the necessary equipment in train-spotting

4. What do we learn from the passage?

A. Train-spotters in the UK want to fool people.

B. Train-spotting is more acceptable in America.

C. Train-spotters are much stranger than car lovers.

D. Train-spotting relates to（与…有关）a dangerous lifestyle.

New York City is a very large city with 8 million people. How do so many people move on their way to work and school?

In New York you can travel by subways, bus, taxi and private (私人的) car. The subway runs on the railroad lines under the city. It crosses the city at different points and goes to all parts of the city. Travelling by subway is the fastest way to get around the city.

The second way to travel is by bus. It is a slower way to travel.

You can also travel by taxi. This is very expensive, but the taxi will take you to every place you want to go to. If traffic is heavy, the taxi will be slow. During the mornings and afternoons, there is the “rush hour”. This is the time when the traffic is very heavy with people going to and from work..

The last way is to use your private car. It’s not good to drive during the “rush hour”. If there is an accident on the road, you will have to wait for a long time.

The best time to travel is from 9 a.m to 4.pm . Traffic will be less crowded during this time because most people are already at school or at work at that time.

1.How many ways of travelling are mentioned (提到) in the passage?

  A. Two       B. Three          C. Four       D. Five

2.The word “rush hour” in Chinese means _____________.

  A.高峰时间.   B. 匆忙时间     C. 冲刺时间   D. 繁忙时间

3.The fastest way to travel in New York City is ________________.

  A. by bus      B. by subway    C. by taxi       D. by private car

4.From the last paragraph we know that in New York City ____________.

  A. there is no “rush hour” from 9.am to 4 p.m.

  B. traffic is heavy at noon.

  C. most Americans have lunch at home.

  D. people go to work and school at 9:00.

5.Why do so many people go to work or school by subway, taxi, bus and private car?

  A. Because New York City is a modern city.

  B. Because New York City is a very large city.

  C. Because New York City is new.

  D. Because the people in New York City are very busy.

New York City is a very large city with 8 million people. How do so many people move on their way to work and school?
In New York you can travel by subways, bus, taxi and private (私人的) car. The subway runs on the railroad lines under the city. It crosses the city at different points and goes to all parts of the city. Travelling by subway is the fastest way to get around the city.
The second way to travel is by bus. It is a slower way to travel.
You can also travel by taxi. This is very expensive, but the taxi will take you to every place you want to go to. If traffic is heavy, the taxi will be slow. During the mornings and afternoons, there is the “rush hour”. This is the time when the traffic is very heavy with people going to and from work..
The last way is to use your private car. It’s not good to drive during the “rush hour”. If there is an accident on the road, you will have to wait for a long time.
The best time to travel is from 9 a.m to 4.pm . Traffic will be less crowded during this time because most people are already at school or at work at that time.
【小题1】How many ways of travelling are mentioned (提到) in the passage?