Question

    Bicycles are used by people of all ages around the world. It's common in many cities to see thousands of bikes streaming down a street.

At first, only men rode bicycles. It was thought that only men could run machines, and that women wouldn't be able to control a bicycle. In the 1890s, though, with women's growing independence(独立), bicycles offered women a way to travel by themselves. Today, of course, men, women, and children ride bicycles.

Most bikes today have two wheels, but you've probably seen other kinds, too.

Some people start riding bikes that have three wheels. The third wheel makes the bike easier to balance. These bikes are called tricycles. As you've seen, the bi- in bicycle means "two". The tri- in tricycle means "three". Bikes with three wheels aren't just for young children. They matter to adults because bikes with three wheels can help move people or things. The most common kind of adult tricycle is the rickshaw(黄包车). Rickshaws are used as bike taxis in many parts of the world.

Some bikes also have only one wheel and no handlebars(把手). These bikes are called unicycles. The first part of the word, uni-, means "one". Riding a bike with only one wheel is a balancing act—that's why unicycles are used in the circus(马戏团).

There are also bikes with four wheels. Bikes with four wheels are called quadracycles. Again, the first part of the word refers to the number of wheels. In this case, quadra-means "four".

根据上面短文内容填空。

1.People of all ages ________ bicycles around the world. It's common in many cities to see ________ bikes streaming down a street.

2.At first, only men rode bicycles. It was thought that women wouldn't have the ________ to control a bicycle. With women's growing independence, bicycles offered women ________ to travel by themselves.

3.Some people start ________ that have three wheels. The third wheel makes the bike achieve a balance ________.

4.Bikes with ________ aren't just for young children. They're ________ to adults because they can help move people or things.

5.There are ________ kinds of bikes mentioned in the article, but the rickshaw is ________ kind of adult tricycle.

Answer

1. use thousands of

2. ability a way

3. riding bikes more easily

4. three wheels important

5. four the most common

【解析】

文章大意：本文主要介绍自行车，自行车一开始只归男性用，但现在男性、女性和小孩都骑自行车。自行车大多是两轮的，但也有单轮的、三轮的、四轮的。

1.

根据第1段中“Bicycles are used by people of all ages around the world. It's common in many cities to see thousands of bikes streaming down a street.”可知此处是说各年龄段的人都使用自行车，在许多城市，看到成千上万辆自行车川流不息是很常见的。这是陈述事实，用一般现在时，题干中主语“People of all ages”是复数，谓语用动词原形use表示“使用”；第二空与原文保持一致，用thousands of即可。故答案为use; thousands of。

2.

根据第2段中“... that women wouldn't be able to control a bicycle. In the 1890s, though, with women's growing independence, bicycles offered women a way to travel by themselves.”可知女性一开始被认为不能控制自行车，但随着女性变得独立，自行车为女性提供了一个自己出游的方式。表示没有控制自行车的能力，the后用able的名词形式ability；第二空与原文保持一致，用a way即可。故答案为ability; a way。

3.

根据第4段中“Some people start riding bikes that have three wheels. The third wheel makes the bike easier to balance.”可知三个轮子使自行车更容易平衡。第一空与原文保持一致，用riding bikes即可；第二空用副词的比较级修饰动词短语achieve a balance，easy变为副词easily，其比较级是more easily。故答案为riding bikes; more easily。

4.

根据第4段中“Bikes with three wheels aren't just for young children. They matter to adults because bikes with three wheels can help move people or things. ”可知三轮自行车不只是给小孩子的，它们对成年人很重要，因为有三个轮子的自行车可以帮助移动人或东西。第一空与原文保持一致，用three wheels即可；matter意为“要紧，事关紧要”，而题干中需要形容词，由此可知用important表示“重要的”。故答案为three wheels; important。

5.

根据文中内容可知文中一共提到单轮、两轮、三轮和四轮四种自行车，第一空填基数词four；根据第4段中“The most common kind of adult tricycle is the rickshaw.”可知黄包车是最常见的成人三轮车，第二空与原文保持一致，用the most common即可。故答案为four; the most common。