Question

    The traffic signals along Factoria Boulevard in Bellevue, Washington, generally don't flash the same length of green twice in a row, especially at rush hour. At 9:30am, the full red/yellow/green signal cycle might be 140 seconds. By 9:33am, a burst of additional traffic might push it to 145 seconds. Less traffic at 9:37am could push it down to 135. Just like the traffic itself, the timing of the signals changes.

That is by design. Bellevue, a fast-growing city just east of Seattle, uses a system that is gaining popularity around the US: intersection(十字路口) signals that can adjust in real time to traffic conditions. These lights, known as adaptive signals, have led to significant declines in both the trouble and cost of travels between work and home.

“Adaptive signals can make sure that the traffic demand that is there is being addressed, ” says Alex Stevanovic, a researcher at Florida Atlantic University.

For all of Bellevue’s success, adaptive signals are not a cure-all for jammed roadways. Kevin Balke, a research engineer at the Texas A&M University Transportation Institute, says that while smart lights can be particularly beneficial for some cities, others are so jammed that only a sharp reduction in the number of cars on the road will make a meaningful difference. “It’s not going to fix everything, but adaptive signals have some benefits for smaller cities,” he says.

In Bellevue, the switch to adaptive signals has been a lesson in the value of welcoming new approaches. In the past, there was often an automatic reaction to increased traffic: just widen the roads, says Mark Poch, the Bellevue Transportation Department’s traffic engineering manager. Now he hopes that other cities will consider making their streets run smarter instead of just making them bigger.

1.What does the underlined word “that” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A.Increased length of green lights. B.Shortened traffic signal cycle.

C.Flexible timing of traffic signals. D.Smooth traffic flow on the road.

2.What does Kevin Balke say about adaptive signals?

A.They work better on broad roads.

B.They should be used in other cities.

C.They have greatly reduced traffic on the road.

D.They are less helpful in cities seriously jammed.

3.What can we learn from Bellevue’s success?

A.It is rewarding to try new things. B.The old methods still work today.

C.I pays to put theory into practice. D.The simplest way is the best way.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。美国华盛顿州的Bellevue采用了能随交通状况而调节交通灯时间的适应性信号灯，大大缓解了交通压力，也表明人们对于交通阻塞问题不再只是拓宽道路，而是能够采用新方法。

1.

指代猜测题。That位于第二段句首，应是指代第一段的内容。根据第一段内容尤其是第一段最后一句“Just like the traffic itself, the timing of the signals changes.(就像交通本身一样，信号灯的时间也会变化)”可知，第一段主要讲述的是信号灯的时间会灵活变化；“That is by design.”意为“那是有意为之”，由此可推知，That指代第一段中“信号灯的灵活时间”。故选C项。

2.

推理判断题。根据第四段第一句中“adaptive signals are not a cure-all for jammed roadways(但自适应信号并不是解决拥堵道路的万能药)”及第二句中“others are so jammed that only a sharp reduction in the number of cars on the road will make a meaningful difference(其他城市交通堵塞如此严重，只有减少道路上的车辆才能起有意义的作用) ”可推知，Kevin Balke认为适应性信号灯对于交通堵塞很严重的城市没有太大帮助。故选D项。

3.

推理判断题。根据第二段最后一句“These lights, known as adaptive signals, have led to significant declines in both the trouble and cost of travels between work and home.(这些灯，被称为适应性信号灯，已经大大减少了通勤的麻烦和花费)”最后一段第一句“In Bellevue, the switch to adaptive signals has been a lesson in the value of welcoming new approaches.(在Bellevue，对适应性信号灯的转变是一个在欢迎新方法的价值方面的榜样)”可推知，从Bellevue的成功中可以得出，尝试新事物是值得的。故选A项。