Question

Public transport is declining in the rich world. To those who have to squeeze onto the number 25 bus in London, or the A train in New York, the change might not be noticeable. But public transport is becoming less busy in those places, and passenger numbers are flat or falling in almost every American city. That is despite healthy growth in urban populations and employment.

Although transport agencies blame their unpopularity on things like roadworks and broken signals, it seems more likely that they are being outcompeted. App-based taxi services like Uber and Lyft are more comfortable and convenient than trains or buses. Cycling is nicer than it was, and rental bikes are more widely available. Cars are cheap to buy, thanks to cut-rate loans, and ever cheaper to run. Online shopping, home working and office-sharing mean more people can avoid travelling altogether.

The competition is only likely to grow. More than one laboratory is developing new transport technologies and applications. Silicon Valley invented Uber and, more recently, apps that let people rent electric scooters(滑板车) and then abandon them on the pavement. China created sharing-bicycles and battery-powered "e-bikes", both of which are spreading.

Transport agencies should accept the upstarts, and copy them. Cities tend either to ignore app-based services or to try to push them off the streets. That is understandable, given the rules-are-for-losers attitude of firms like Uber. But it is an error.

It is doubtful that most people make hard distinctions between public and private transport. They just want to get somewhere, and there is a cost in time, money and comfort. An ideal system would let them move across a city for a single payment, transferring from trains to taxis to bicycles as needed. Building a platform to allow that is hard, and requires much sweet-talking of traditional networks as well as technology firms. It is probably the secret to keeping cities moving.

1.What is the change in public transport in big cities?

A. It is becoming busier.

B. It is getting less popular.

C. There are fewer traffic delays.

D. There is more new transport.

2.In the author’s opinion, the reason for the decline of public transport is that ______.

A. there are roadworks and broken signals

B. people are becoming healthier and employed

C. cars and bikes are more and more available

D. transport agencies are seemingly less competitive

3.How does the author develop his idea in Paragraph 3?

A. By giving examples

B. By providing research results

C. By stating arguments

D. By comparing different approaches

4.According to the text, the key to keeping cities moving is ____________.

A. to develop an ideal system that satisfies everyone

B. to build a platform that appeals to transport agencies

C. to provide people with more means of transportation

D. to cater for both traditional networks and technology firms

Answer

1. B

2. D

3. A

4. D

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。文章讲述的是发达国家的公共交通正在衰退。一个理想的系统是让他们只需支付一笔钱就能在城市中穿行，根据需要从火车到出租车再到自行车。建立一个平台来实现这一点是困难的，而且需要传统网络和技术公司的辅佐。这可能是保持城市发展的秘诀。

1.推理判断题。根据第一段中But public transport is becoming less busy in those places, and passenger numbers are flat or falling in almost every American city.可知，大城市的公共交通越来越不受欢迎了。故选B。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段第一句Although transport agencies blame their unpopularity on things like roadworks and broken signals, it seems more likely that they are being outcompeted.可知，在作者看来，公共交通下降的原因是运输机构似乎没有竞争力。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段The competition is only likely to grow. More than one laboratory is developing new transport technologies and applications. Silicon Valley invented Uber and, more recently, apps that let people rent electric scooters(滑板车) and then abandon them on the pavement. China created sharing-bicycles and battery-powered "e-bikes", both of which are spreading.可知，作者在第3段中通过给例子发展他的观点。故选A。

4.细节理解题。根据最后一段中Building a platform to allow that is hard, and requires much sweet-talking of traditional networks as well as technology firms. It is probably the secret to keeping cities moving.可知，根据文本，保持城市移动的关键是迎合传统网络和技术公司。故选D。