2.Global Positioning Systems(全球定位系统) are now a part of everyday driving in many countries.These satellite-based systems provide turn-by-turn directions to help people get to where they want to go.However,they can also cause a lot of problems,send you to the wrong place or leave you completely lost.Many times,the driver is to blame.Sometimes a GPS error is responsible.Most often,says Barry Brown,it is a combination of the two.
Barry Brown is with the Mobile Life Centre in Stockholm,Sweden.He told us about an incident involving a friend who had flown to an airport in the eastern United States.There he borrowed a GPS-equipped car to use during his stay.Mr.Brown says,"They just plugged in an address and then set off to their destination.And,then it wasn't until they were driving for thirty minutes that they realized they actually put in a destination back on the West Coast where they lived.They actually put their home address in.So again,the GPS is kind of'garbage in garbage out'."
Mr.Brown says this is a common human error,but what makes the problem worse has to do with some of the shortcomings,or failures,of GPS equipment.He says,"One problem with a lot of the GPS units is they have a very small screen and they just tell you the next turn.Because they just give you the next turn,sometimes that means that it is not really giving you the overview that you would need to know that it's going to the wrong place."
Mr.Brown says,"One of the things that struck us,perhaps the most important thing was that you have to know what you're doing when you use a GPS.There are these new skills that people have developed.There are these new competencies(资格) that you need to have to be able to use a GPS because they sometimes go wrong.This goes against a common belief that GPS systems are for passive drivers who lack navigational skills."
Barry Brown says to make GPS systems better we need a better understanding of how drivers,passengers and GPS systems work together.
41.According to Barry Brow,in most cases,C are blame for the problems.
A.human errors
B.GPS errors
C.errors caused by both drivers and GPS
D.errors caused by putting in a wrong address
42.The example of Barry Brown's friend is used to show thatD.
A.GPS is nothing but garbage
B.GPS is still not accurate enough
C.it is difficult for drivers to use GPS equipment.
D.sometimes drivers are responsible for the problem
43.It can be inferred from the second paragraph thatC.
A.It's impossible to drive from the east to the west in the US.
B.Barry Brown's friend went to Stockholm,Sweden by plane.
C.Given wrong instructions,the GPS will produce wrong results.
D.GPS systems are for passive drivers who lack navigational skills.
44.Which of the followings is one of the shortcomings of GPS equipment?A
A.It tells the driver to turn once at a time.
B.It gives the driver the overview.
C.Its screen is too small to be seen clearly.
D.It is only suitable for passive drivers.
45.What's the main idea of the text?B
A.GPS systems need to be improved.
B.Driving with GPS can be difficult to navigate.
C.Drivers should understand how GPS systems work.
D.Drivers should learn to use GPS systems correctly.
分析 本文属于说明文阅读,作者通过这篇文章主要向我们讲述了GPS可以给司机带来便利,也会误导司机,警告读者一定要谨慎使用.
解答 41.C.细节理解题.根据文章第一段"Most often,says Barry Brown,it is a combination of the two"可知Barry Brow认为,在大多数情况下是由司机和GPS两者引起的错误;故选C.
42.D.细节理解题.根据文章第二段"then it wasn't until they were driving for thirty minutes that they realized they actually put in a destination back on the West Coast where they lived"可知Barry Brown的朋友的例子是用来证明有时是司机引起的错误;故选D.
43.C.推理判断题.根据文章第二段最后两句"They actually puy their home address in.So again,the GPS is kind of‘garbage in garbage out'."和对全段的整体理解可知,答案C"给错误的指令,导航系统就会产生错误的结果"符合文意;故选C.
44.A.细节理解题.根据文章第三段第二句"He says,‘One problem with a lot of the GPS units is they have a very small screen and they just tell you the next turn.'"可知它告诉司机一次转一次,故选A.
45.B.主旨大意题:从第一段的:But,they can also cause a lot of problems,send you to the wrong place or leave you completely lost.可知文章讲的是GPS带来的困难.故选B.
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力,做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句,和题干进行比较,再做出正确的选择.在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实,要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断.