Question

Traffic problems are an everyday concern in many cities, including Washington, D. C. A growing number of Washingtonians are turning to bicycles to get to and from work. In fact, the number of commuters who use bicycles has doubled in the city since 2007.

Ralph Buehler teaches urban planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University，popularly known as Virginia Tech. He has written a book about urban biking, called City Cycling. He says there is a reason why urban bike tiding is now becoming more popular.

“Over the last 60 to 70 years, cities in America have been adapted to the automobile.”

“Most cities took advantage of the money coming for the interstate (洲际)highway system, from the federal government, starting in 1956. There was a 90 percent federal match(补贴)so the cities only had to put up 10%. It was very tempting.(临时的).”

In the years after World War Two, many Americans moved to suburban communities, just outside major cities, They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs. Their cars became a symbol of freedom.

But today, many people believe they can save money by living in the city.

Greg Billing is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. “When a person makes a change from using a car to using a bike, he/she is saving anywhere between 8 or$9,000 a year.”

Ralph Buehler says governments save money when people use bicycles. “Building bicycling facilities(设施) is much cheaper than building and maintaining road facilities or public transport.”

Washington, D.C has also taken steps to protect bike riders. It approved a safe passing law and created areas on the road between cars and bikes.

The United States Census Bureau says 4% of the city’s workers ride to work by bike. The only city on the East Coast with more bike commuters is New York.

1.What does the writer mainly talk about in this passage?

A. More people in Washington, D. C go to work by bike

B. Bikes lead to new problems in Washington, D. C

C. Washington,

D. C has taken steps to protect bike riders

2.What can we know from Ralph Buehler’s statement?

A. A lot has been invested to build bicycling facilities in cities

B. The federal government supported building public transport

C. Cities didn’t use the money from the government wisely

D. Urban biking has been popular in the last 60 to 70 years

3.In the years after World War Two, many Americans prefer to_____.

A. go to and from work by bike    B. live out of the major cities

C. travel long distances a lot    D. rent houses rather than buy ones

4.What do Ralph Buehler and Greg Billing agree with?

A. Public transport develop too rapidly in recent years

B. Government should build more bicycling facilities

C. The cost of living in cities is lower than in the country

D. More people using bicycles can save money

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.B

4.D

【解析】本文是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了自行车这一交通工具在美国的发展，居住在华盛顿的人们，从之前居住在距离城市较远的地方以及开车上班，到今天人们更愿意选择住在城市里，每天骑着自行车去上班。

1.主旨大意题。综合全文来看，文章主要讲述了华盛顿的人们由之前开车上班到现在骑自行车上班，这一转变，结合文章第一段“Traffic problems are an everyday concern in many cities, including Washington, D. C. A growing number of Washingtonians are turning to bicycles to get to and from work”以及“They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs. Their cars became a symbol of freedom他们居住在郊区，汽车成为自由的象征”“But today, many people believe they can save money by living in the city但是现在，许多人认为他们居住在城市里可以节省很多钱”，故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据文中“Most cities took advantage of the money coming for the interstate (洲际)highway system, from the federal government, starting in 1956.There was a 90 percent federal match(补贴)so the cities only had to put up 10%. It was very tempting.(临时的)”，大部分城市都可以从洲际公路系统中获得好处，每个城市都会享受90%的联邦补贴，而他们自己只需要支付10%，从中可以看出，联邦政府支持修建公共运输事业。故选B。

3.细节理解题。根据“In the years after World War Two, many Americans moved to suburban communities, just outside major cities, They decided to travel great distances to and from work in exchange for a home in the suburbs”，可知，在二战后，许多美国人选择住在远离大城市的地方，在郊区居住，故选B。

4.细节理解题。根据文中“Greg Billing is with the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. “When a person makes a change from using a car to using a bike, he/she is saving anywhere between 8 or$9,000 a year.”

Ralph Buehler says governments save money when people use bicycles. “Building bicycling facilities(设施) is much cheaper than building and maintaining road facilities or public transport.””，可知，Greg Billing与Ralph Buehler都认为，当人们选择骑自行车时，可以节省很多钱，故选D。