Question

    Chokwe Selassie, an eighth-grader at Blackburn Middle School, was inspired to create an app on a recent morning, when his mother was driving him to school. Their car was damaged as it went over a huge pothole (坑洞) in the middle of the street in their hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. “I wanted to do something about the pothole problem in my city,” Chokwe, 13, told TFK.

Chokwe developed the app with his friends Rodriguez Ratliff and Emmanuel Brooks. “When the app detects a pothole, it is highlighted in red,” Chokwe says. “And if you get close to the pothole, your phone will warn you with a beep sound.” Drivers can also use the app to report any potholes they come across, and to look for other routes they can take to avoid roads that have them.

The app relies on current available information about the streets of Jackson, according to Chokwe. “It works by using the city’s 311 call system, so it uses information already stored in a database,” he says. Through the call system, citizens dial 311 to report non-emergency problems — which include potholes.

To get some help in developing the app, the boys took part in a Minority Male Makers Program sponsored by Verizon (an American broadband and telecommunications company) and held at Jackson State University. The program provides nearly 1,000 American middle school boys across the country with training in advanced technology.

“The students were really excited to participate and learn new things,” says Valerie Bradley, Chokwe’s principal at Blackburn Middle School. Through the program, Chokwe says, he and his friends received encouragement and guidance.

Although the app isn’t yet available for sale, Chokwe is already looking for ways to improve it. The prototype (雏形) remains limited to 10 streets in Jackson, but he hopes to add more, so that it includes every street in the city. And then he wants to go even farther. “I want to keep working on the app until it’s nationwide,” Chokwe says.

1.What is the app designed by Chokwe aimed at?

A.Perfecting the city’s 311 call system.

B.Planning the best routes for drivers.

C.Measuring the streets in Jackson.

D.Helping drivers avoid potholes.

2.What does the second paragraph mainly explain?

A.How Chokwe’s app works.

B.What Chokwe’s app relies on.

C.Where Chokwe’s app can be used.

D.Whom Chokwe’s app is designed for.

3.Whom is Verizon’s Minority Male Makers Program popular with?

A.Students at Jackson State University.

B.Teachers at Blackburn Middle School.

C.Boys who are interested in technology.

D.Males like driving and repairing vehicles.

4.Which of the following words can best describe Chokwe?

A.Proud. B.Honest.

C.Ambitious. D.Independent.

Answer

1.D

2.A

3.C

4.C

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了Chokwe设计了一款应用程序旨在帮助司机避免坑洞，并且他想继续开发这个应用程序，直到它在全国推广。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段中的“I wanted to do something about the pothole problem in my city”可知，Chokwe设计的应用程序旨在帮助司机避免坑洞。故选D项。

2.主旨大意题。根据第二段中的“When the app detects a pothole, it is highlighted in red”和“And if you get close to the pothole, your phone will warn you with a beep sound.”可知，当应用程序检测到坑洞时，它会以红色突出显示，如果你靠近坑洞，你的手机会发出哔哔声警告你。由此可推知，第二段主要介绍这个应用程序的工作原理。故选A项。

3.细节理解题。根据第四段中的“To get some help in developing the app, the boys took part in a Minority Male Makers Program”和“The program provides nearly 1,000 American middle school boys across the country with training in advanced technology.”可知，Verizon的少数派男性制作人计划深受对技术感兴趣的男孩的欢迎。故选C项。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“Chokwe is already looking for ways to improve it”“but he hopes to add more, so that it includes every street in the city”和“I want to keep working on the app until it’s nationwide”可知，Chokwe已经在寻找改进这个应用程序的方法，他想继续开发这个应用程序，直到它在全国推广。由此可推知，Chokwe很有野心。故选C项。