Beijing plans to build huge free or low-cost parking lots beyond the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads to encourage more car owners to take buses or subways to the downtown area.
The plan is just one of the many measures the city plans to take to reduce its traffic jams. Low or no parking fees would be used as economic leverage（杠杆作用）to reduce growing parking demands from urban areas.
Car owners living in the suburbs will be encouraged to park their cars beyond the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads and take buses or subways to the downtown area. Statistics show that nearly one quarter of the city’s traffic flow is concentrated in the 62-square-kilometre downtown area within the Second Ring Road, which makes up only 12 percent of the city’s total area.
The Beijing Traffic Management Bureau receives between 400 and 500 calls reporting traffic jams every day and more than 90 percent of the roads are filled to capacity during rush hour every morning and evening. Part of the problem is the lack of easy links between bus routes, subways and cars.
According to the communication commission, half of the city’s investment in transportation will go towards public transit（公共交通）construction in the next few years, making a jump from the current only 20 percent. Moreover, Beijing plans to change its layout（布局）by building new city centers, such as at Yizhuang, Tongzhou, Shunyi and Changping, in a bid to reduce the traffic flow to the downtown.
The current layout of Beijing-expanded ring roads around the same center of the Forbidden City, is seen as the root cause of the endless traffic jams. The downtown area is crowded with three business centers and one financial centre, as well as nearly 400 government organs and institutions.
Traffic experts say building more urban centers around Beijing may reduce the number of residents living in the suburbs and traveling long distances to work downtown every day, thus reducing traffic flow.
1.In the coming years, if a man beyond the Fourth Ring Road goes to work in the
downtown of Beijing, he is encouraged to _______.
A. take buses or subways
B. take a taxi
C. drive the car quickly
D. park his car in a place which asks for no fees
2.According to this passage, when more and more people drive to work in rush hour in Beijing, it is likely to ________.
A. save time B. cause traffic jams
C. cause traffic accidents D. reduce air pollution
3.The aim in building new city centers is to ________.
A. make it convenient for people to go shopping
B. develop its local resources
C. reduce the traffic flow to the downtown
D. solve the problem of more laid-off workers
4.The passage suggests the author _________.
A. is tired of driving to work
B. finds it costs less to take subways than to drive
C. is for the plan to reduce Beijing’s traffic congestion（拥挤）
D. has benefited a lot by driving to the downtown every day
Heather Mills McCartney lives an admirable life, attending celebrity parties, meeting regularly with the rich and famous and doing meaningful work for charity. All who work with her admire and respect her. But Heather’s life hasn’t always been so easy. When Heather was only 9 years old, her mother abandoned her and her two brothers. At the age of 13, she ran away from home and ended up living on the streets in London. Eventually, however, her exceptional beauty led to a career in modeling. At that time, Heather also began helping with the war relief efforts in former Yugoslavia. Through her modeling and relief work, she soon became famous.
But in August 1993, at age 25 her life changed once again. She was crossing the street in London when a motorcycle crashed into her. She was so badly injured that the doctors had to cut off her left leg. After that, she discovered she frequently needed to change her artificial limbs (假肢). It was expensive and she felt it was a waste to just throw away the old one. It occurred to her to set up an organization that could deliver used artificial limbs to Yugoslavia and other war-torn countries. It was through her charity work that she met her husband Paul McCartney.
Throughout her life, Heather has risen above problems and focused on helping others. Her work with artificial limbs even earned her a nomination (提名) for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996. Heather’s persistence and determination are what impresses anyone who knows her. Heather believes anyone can make a positive difference in the world.
1.This passage is mainly about _________.
A. Heather’s miserable life
B. Heather’s contribution to the world
C. Heather’s success in her work
D. Heather’s belief in life
2.Heather began her modeling career _________.
A. due to her mother’s encouragement
B. after her brothers abandoned her
C. because of her excellent intelligence and performances
D. because she was especially beautiful
3.Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?
A. Heather won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.
B. Heather began her charity work while working as a model.
C. Her artificial limbs had to be replaced continuously.
D. Heather has never been defeated by her problems.
4.From the passage we can infer that people admire and respect Heather because
_________.
A. she had a lot of misfortunes during her childhood
B. she was a world-famous model
C. she is determined and never gives in
D. she made a great difference in the world
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项 (A、B、C和D) 中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
It was the last day of the final examination in a large eastern university. On the steps of one building, a group of engineering seniors gathered, discussing the exam due to begin in a few 1. On their faces was confidence. This was their last exam — then on to 2and jobs. Some talked of jobs they already had; others talked of jobs they 3get. With the certainty of four years of college, they felt ready and able to take 4of the world.
The coming exam, they knew, would be a(n) 5task. The professor had said they could bring 6book or note they wanted, requesting only that they did not 7each other, during the test.
8they entered the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles 9on the students’ faces as they noted there were only five questions.
Three hours had passed 10the professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a frightened expression. Papers in hand, no one spoke as the professor faced the class.
He looked at the 11faces before him, and then asked, “How many completed all five questions?” 12a hand was raised.
“How many answered four?” Still no hands.
“Three? Two?” The students moved restlessly in their seats.
“One, then? Certainly somebody finished 13.”But the class remained silent.
The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I 14,” he said. “I just want to impress upon you that, 15you have completed four years of engineering, there are still many things about the 16you don’t know. These questions you couldn’t answer are relatively 17in everyday practice. ” Then smiling, he added, “You will all 18this course, but remember — even though you are now college graduates, your education has just 19.”
The years have 20the name of this professor, but not the lesson he taught.
1.A. seconds B. minutes C. hours D. days
2.A. interview B. discussion C. education D. graduation
3.A. would B. must C. have to D. used to
4.A. hold B. control C. charge D. place
5.A. interesting B. necessary C. easy D. unusual
6.A. no B. either C. any D. all
7.A. listen to B. look at C. refer to D. talk to
8.A. Nervously B. Joyfully C. Quickly D. Curiously
9.A. appeared B. changed C. froze D. stopped
10.A. then B. as C. before D. after
11.A. pleased B. worried C. surprised D. moved
12.A. Not B. Once C. Only D. Even
13.A. all B. none C. one D. it
14.A. wondered B. enjoyed C. hated D. expected
15.A. right now B. as though C. now that D. even though
16.A. exam B. subject C. question D. college
17.A. valuable B. difficult C. common D. strange
18.A. pass B. fail C. take D. start
19.A. begun B. completed C. failed D. succeeded
20.A. forgot B. remembered C. strengthened D. weakened
His mother had thought it would be good for his character to_______ from home
and earn some money on his own.
A. run away B. take away C. keep away D. get away
— Dane hasn’t arrived yet.
— ______? To my knowledge, he is a punctual person.
A. How come B. So what C. What if D. Why not
Even today I still remember the great fun we had ________ games on the beach on
those happy days.
A. play B. to play C. playing D. played
