A research has shown that nearly 90 percent of traffic accidents are caused by human errors. So our aim is a fully autonomous (自动的) car that gets rid of the cause of most accidents: the driver. Researcher Hodgson points out, “For safety, the faster you can remove humans, the better, even if there are unfortunately a few accidents from new causes. It’s a question of balancing the number injured or killed by autonomous vehicles with the people whose lives are potentially saved.”
It’s an idea that Elon Musk, chief executive of electric car company Tesla Motors, has long believed. His company is determined to be the first to deliver a fully autonomous vehicle to consumers. Last year, Musk announced that Tesla’s 2019 goal was “to do an example drive of full autonomy all the way from L. A. to New York， and have the car park itself.
However, even Tesla admits that there are problems to overcome—the software needs further validation (批准生效) and the appropriate regulatory approval needs to be in place. Indeed, recent crashes of Tesla vehicles and Google cars confirm that the software isn’t ready yet.
The UK government appears committed encouraging the development of autonomous vehicles. It’s supporting four city trials, publishing the Modern Transport Bill to reduce red tape around their introduction and adapting the legal system to take into account problems such as insurance liability when a human isn’t in control of a vehicle.
The insurance industry is similarly eager to help increase autonomy in cars. As the Association of British Insurers points out, “Nearly 90 percent of road accidents are caused by human errors.” This costs motor insurers a shocking $20 million per day in claims.
1.What difficulty does the company Tesla Motors have?
A. The company lacks confidence to make new creations.
B. New inventions may cause more injuries and deaths.
C. The software should be made officially acceptable.
D. The traffic regulation has proved unreasonable.
2.What is the UK government’s attitude to autonomous cars?
A. Cautious. B. Positive.
C. Ambiguous. D. Disapproving.
3.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Insurance companies would like to support autonomous cars.
B. Human mistakes may be the key cause of traffic accidents.
C. Traffic accidents waste insurance companies quite a lot.
D. Motorists are surprised to hear about autonomous cars.
4.The purpose of writing the text is to ________.
A. amuse readers with funny examples
B. show his deep love for autonomous cars
C. introduce a new development in technology
D. provide a persuasive argument against autonomy
Many of us know about Russia’s Lake Baikal from our textbooks, or by listening to Chinese singer Li Jian’s hit song, Lie Baikal. But over the past decade, the world’s deepest freshwater lake has been in the spotlight for an extreme sport.
Each March since 2005, about 150 people from around the world sign up for the Baikal Ice Marathon. They come to explore the lake’s breathtaking beauty and challenge themselves in unpredictable conditions. The 26-mile (41.84-kilometers) journey starts on the lake’s eastern shore. In March, the ice is a meter thick and iron-hard. Runners cross this frozen surface, finishing on the western side of the lake.
Known as the “blue eye of Siberia”, Lake Baikal has exceptionally clear waters. This means its ice is almost perfectly transparent (透明的). “Seen from above, a runner on the ice looks as if he or she were jogging through space.” The New York Times noted.
The landscape might be beautiful, but it’s also harsh. Strong winds blast (侵袭) across the lake and frostbite can occur within half an hour. Runners say the cold climate is what draws them. They want to test their limits.
“When you are in such an environment, you don’t have cars around you, and you don’t have the noise around. I think these extreme races allow you to be alone with nature.” Alicja Barahona, a 64-year-old runner from the US, told ABC news.
The location offers some strange and unique characteristics for this marathon. The finishing line is visible from the start, but the endless white offers no progress markers. The race also ends with little fanfare (隆重的欢迎). Tourists crowding the ice are mostly addicted to snapping selfies (自拍) and just ignore the runners.
For some runners, the absence of spectators makes the race more challenging, because it’s lonely. They must fight with themselves. “You are alone on Baikal. It is your race. You are alone with yourself. All you need to do is to defeat yourself.” Veronique Messina, a French runner, told the Telegraph.
1.What can we know about the Baikal Ice Marathon from the article?
A. It takes runners from the northern end to the southern end of the lake.
B. It involves extreme weather and beautiful scenery.
C. It attracts more and more participants each year.
D. It is about 26 kilometers in length.
2.How does the Baikal Ice Marathon differ from other marathons?
A. Only men are allowed to run in this race.
B. The runners are often distracted by tourists.
C. There are many progress markers on the ice.
D. The runners can see the finishing line from the start.
3.What is the most challenging part of the race for Messina?
A. The cold climate. B. The long distance.
C. Noisy surroundings. D. Loneliness.
4.How many reasons are listed to show the loneliness?
A. 5. B. 4.
C. 3. D. 2.
You are chatting with friends on the phone, but you can’t help browsing a shopping website in the meantime. You’re eating lunch alone in the canteen, but it only feels right when you start playing a show on your phone—as if it’s a necessary side dish.
We now live in a world that bombards us with information. It seems unnatural to do only one thing at a time. It’s as if we’re all suffering from what a recent Qdaily article called “multitasking OCD” (多任务强迫症).
“With news reduced to 140 characters and communication increasingly made by emojis (表情符号), we have developed the ability to focus our attention on several activities and devices at the same time.” Saby Otmani, founder of the website Pulpix, once wrote, “We need lots of stimuli (刺激元素) to keep us interested and to fight off boredom.”
But perhaps “fighting off boredom” is not the only reason. My own obsession with multitasking mainly comes from the fact that everyone around me seems to be constantly studying. Each minute without new information feels like a waste of time. So I always have my headphones on, whether I ’m commuting, exercising or walking in the park. I ’m forever listening to something—a course on classical music, or on new media management, and heaven knows what else—just so I can keep up with the world.
People who can’t stay away from social media are known as FOMO (fear of missing out). They have to be constantly updated about what their friends are doing and saying. But I’d guess that “FOFO” better describes me—“fear of falling out”. No matter what your reason, multitasking is a part of modern life. Do your best to make the most out of it.
1.With the examples in the first paragraph, the author intends to ________.
A. explain what “multitasking OCD” is like B. show how busy today’s life is
C. show that people today often feel lost D. show people like to be fashionable
2.Why do people like multitasking, according to Otmani?
A. They lack the patience to finish one thing at a time.
B. It can help them to communicate their ideas.
C. They are more able than the past generation.
D. It can prevent them from being bored.
3.The underlined word “obsession” is closest in meaning to “________”.
A. interest B. knowledge C. understanding D. worry
4.Why is the writer crazy about multitasking? She ________.
A. wants to stay ahead of her friends B. wants to have something to show off
C. doesn’t want to get left behind by others D. thinks it is boring to do one thing at a time
Considering the climate temperature in England, most tourists like to visit London between April and September. Tourists also enjoy what London has to offer during Christmas.
Getting around London Transportation in London is divided into zones, which means the further you intend to go, the more expensive it will cost you. You’ll find one of the best subways here, with single rides starting at about 2.5 dollars. You can also use taxis (keep in mind that black cabs do not accept smart cards), boats, buses as well as commuter trains. To avoid any trouble, you can get yourself a smart card and perhaps load it with 50 dollars to cover your weekly travel budget.
Weather in London To enjoy warm weather in London, plan your visit in July as it is the hottest month. January is the coldest month in London.
What You Should Know before Visiting London Unlike most cities in Europe, life in London is a bit more expensive. Also, make sure you plan ahead so that you won’t miss out on the best tickets, hotels and offers.
Bests of London
SEA LIFE London Aquarium Enjoy a spectacular experience with underwater creatures at SEA LIFE London Aquarium. It is perfect for a family fun day.
The London Eye As a major feature of London’s skyline, the London Eye boasts some of the best city views from its 32 capsules. You’ll definitely enjoy the breathtaking experience.
Sherlock Holmes Museum A perfect place to visit if you love the books or TV series Sherlock Holmes.
1.Which of the following is most likely to be the peak month to visit London?
A. January. B. March.
C. May. D. October.
2.What is the benefit of a smart card?
A. It can be used to pay for any means of transport.
B. It is convenient.
C. It can cover any expense.
D. It is available online.
3.Where will you go if your family want to see a variety of fish?
A. SEA LIFE London Aquarium. B. The London Eye.
C. Sherlock Holmes Museum. D. London Canal Museum.
假定你是李华，你校将举行“读书节” ，请你写封邮件邀请在你校学习的Tony参加。内容包括：
1．目的和时间：
2．内容：交换书籍、西方文学讲座、中国诗歌朗诵比赛等。
注意：
1．词数100左右；信的开头已经写好。
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇： 读书节Reading Festival 交换exchange 文学literature 诗歌朗诵poetry reading
Dear Tony，
How are you doing？
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours，
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：
1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Yesterday，I saw the old lady fall down when I was hurrying to school．I was about to help her up while suddenly a passer-by stop me，saying that I might be accused of knocking him down．Heard his words，I began to hesitate and slowed down my step．At the same time，another student，who saw everything，went up to help．The old lady said nothing but lots of thanks to the good boy．I felt ashamed．As is know to all，helping others are forever a good virtue．Even some old people are becoming immoral（不道德的），we can't let it to disappear．
