Commuters(上下班往返的人) who drive to work will face a parking charge of up to￡350 a year.Ministers are backing a workplace parking charge which will come into force in Nottingham in 2013 and is likely to be adopted across the country.The scheme will see firms with more than ten parking places for staff charged ￡ 350 a year for each space in two years.
Employers would be free to pass on the charge to their staff－meaning it would effectively be a tax on driving to work.The scheme aims to reduce traffic by preventing unnecessary car journeys and raise funds to improve public transport，but critics say it is just an excuse for councils to fill their coffers(金库)．
Some ten million Britons drive to work each day，and the British Chambers of Commerce says the new charge could total ￡ 3.4 billion a year if rolled out nationwide.
Already some firms in Nottingham have threatened to leave the city，where 40，000 commuters use their cars to get to work.A spokesman said the scheme was nothing more than a tax on jobs.“It is very unfair to discriminate against those employers who have parking spaces，which get vehicles off the streets，” he said.“And these charges apply around the clock，which is especially unfair on shift workers who rely on their cars because public transport is not available.This is more about increasing the government's income than reducing traffic.”
However，Transport Minister Sadiq Khan gave the plan an official approval during a visit to Nottingham.The council says the tax will raise as much as ￡100 million over ten years—one fifth of the cost of a new transport system for the city.
Another transport spokesman Theresa Villiers said the tax would have a devastating impact on businesses struggling to cope with the economic decline.
But Richard Hebditch of the Campaign for Better Transport said the tax would raise money to invest in better transport.“We put forward the idea of workplace parking taxes as a fairer way to raise money to invest in the future local transport services.We are pleased that the people of Nottingham will be the first to benefit.”
20．Supporters argue that the scheme ________．
A．can help improve the parking conditions for the staff
B．should be applied to all commuters driving to work
C．is certain to be carried out despite the objections
D．will relieve traffic pressure and improve public transport
21．According to the objectors，the scheme is unfair for ________．
A．the firms with parking lots
B．the workforce without cars
C．the employees parking their cars on the streets
D．the staff driving to work in the daytime
22．Which word can best describe Theresa Villiers's attitude towards the scheme?
A．Neutral. B．Negative.
C．Understanding. D．Positive.
23．It can he inferred from the passage that ________．
A．many firms are willing to pay the charges for their staff
B．the public transport in Nottingham is in great need of improvement
C．the author believes Britons will benefit from the scheme
D．those firms with more commuters will leave Nottingham
本文主要讲述了Nottingham将出台政策对在工作场所停车收费及由此引发的激烈讨论。
20．D 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“The scheme aims to reduce traffic by preventing unnecessary car journeys and raise funds to improve public transport…”可知，支持者认为这个方案能够缓解交通压力，改善公共交通。
21．A 细节理解题。根据第四段的第三句可知A项正确。
22．B 态度推断题。根据第六段内容可知，Theresa Villiers对这个方案持否定态度。
23．B 推理判断题。根据倒数第三段中的“The council says the tax will raise as much as ￡100 million over ten years—one fifth of the cost of a new transport system for the city.”以及最后一段内容可推知，Nottingham的公共交通急需改善。
阅读快车系列答案科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
As motorways become more and more blocked up with traffic, a new generation on flying cars will be needed to ferry people along skyways. That is the conclusion of engineers from the US space agency and aeronautical firms, who envision future commuters traveling by “skycar”.
These could look much like the concept skycar shown in the picture, designed by Boeing research and development. However, such vehicles could be some 25 years from appearing on the market. Efforts to build flying vehicles in the past have not been very successful. Such vehicles would not only be expensive and require the skills of a trained pilot to fly, but there are significant engineering challenges involved in developing them. “When you try to combine them you get the worst of both worlds: a very heavy, slow, expensive vehicle that’s hard to use,” said Mark Moore, head of the personal air vehicle(PAV) division of the vehicle systems program at Nasa’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, US. But Boeing is also considering how to police the airways-and prevent total pandemonium(吵杂狂乱的喧闹)-if thousands of flying cars enter the skies.
“The neat, gee-whiz part is thinking about what the vehicle itself would look like,” said Dick Paul, a vice president with Phantom Works, Boeing’s research and development arm. “But we’re trying to think through all the consequences of what it would take to deploy(散开) a fleet of these.”
Past proposals to solve this problem have included artificial intelligence systems to prevent collisions between air traffic. Nasa is working on flying vehicles with the initial goal of transforming small plane travel. Small planes are generally costly, loud, and require months of training and lots of money to operate, making flying to work impractical for most people. But within five years, Nasa researchers hope to develop technology for a small plane that can fly out of regional airports, costs less than $100,000(??55,725), is as quiet as a motorcycle and as simple to operate as a car.
Although it would not have any road-driving capabilities, it would bring this form of travel within the grasp of a wider section of people. The new technology would automate many of the pilot’s functions. This Small Aircraft Transportation System(Sats) would divert pressure away from the “hub-and-spoke(中心辐射型)” model of air travel. Hub-and-spoke refers to the typically US model of passengers being processed through large “hub” airports and then on to secondary flights to “spoke” airports near their final destinations.
The best title for this text would be .
A. Developing Skycars B. The Traffic Jams in the Sky
C. How to Guide Flying Cars in the Sky D. What Flying Cars Will Look Like
The underlined word “envision” in Paragraph 1 most probably means “ ”.
A. see B. expect C. think D. announce
When engineers develop the skycars, they have to deal with the following difficulties except .
A. how to fly out of regional airports
B. how to prevent the disorder of the airways
C. how to reduce expenses and the vehicle’s weight
D. how to fly the skycars to enter skies
Now Nasa researchers’ aim is to .
A. make big flying cars
B. work out the plan——how to transform small plane travel
C. develop a new kind of small plane different from the traditional one
D. build a new kind of small plane with road-driving abilities
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科目：高中英语 来源：2011-2012学年陕西省西安市远东第一中学高二12月月考英语试卷（带解析） 题型：阅读理解
Rush hour traffic is a problem in many big cities around the world. Commuters(上下班者)rush to and from their jobs in cars, buses, subways, trains, and even on bicycles. Large cities in the United States have two rush hours—one in the morning and one in the evening. But in cities in other parts of the world, there are four rush hours. In Athens and Rome, for example, many workers go home for lunch and a nap. After this midday break, they rush back to their jobs and work for a few more hours.
In Tokyo, there's a big rush hour underground. Most of the people in Tokyo take the subways. The trains are very crowded. Subway employees called packers wear white gloves and help pack the commuters into the trains when the doors close. They make sure that all purses, briefcases, clothes, and hands are inside the trains.
In Seoul, many commuters prefer to take taxis to get to work.. To hail a cab，many people stand at crossroads and raise two fingers. This means they'll pay the cab driver double the usual fare. Some people even raise three fingers! They'll pay three times the normal rate。
Streets in Rome are very crowded with automobiles and mopeds(摩托自行车)during rush hours. The city can't make its streets wider, and it can't build new highways, because it doesn't want to disturb the many historic sites in the city, such as the Forum and the Coliseum. It took the city fifteen years to construct a new subway system. Construction had to stop every time workers found old artifacts and discovered places of interest to archaeologists(考古学家).
In many big cities, there are special lanes on highways for carpools. These are groups of three or more people who drive to and from work together. They share the costs of gas and parking and take turns driving into the city.
Getting to work and getting home can be difficult in many places around the world. Rush hour traffic seems to be a universal problem.
【小题1】Big cities have traffic problems during rush hours because there are _______
| A．special lanes on highways | B．many commuters |
| C．four rush hours | D．many cars on the street |
| A．take subway trains to work | B．are packers |
| C．take taxis to work | D．carry briefcases to work |
| A．pay double the normal fare | B．try to get a cab |
| C．prefer to take taxis | D．to stand at crossroads |
| A．live in the city | B．take the subway to work |
| C．save money on gas and parking fees | D．have special license plates(牌照) |
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科目：高中英语 来源：湖南省2010届高三5月月考英语试题 题型：阅读理解
PART THREE READING COMPREHENSION
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked with A、B、C and D, Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
For new countries joining the European Union, and older ones getting used to their dark red passport, becoming “Europeans” is a bit like marrying a large and strange family.
Europeans have a lot in common but it is their differences, not their similarities, that attract the attention of sociologies and market researchers, and are more interesting
35% of Germans live alone, but only 9% of Spaniards. Perhaps this explains why Spaniards lead Europe in the habit of going out for a drink.
The British attend more adult evening classes than anyone else in Europe, and the Belgians least. So it can’t just be the dark evenings. There are no figures on how many Britons go for a drink afterwards. If there were, they might be up at the top with Spain.
The British think black cats are lucky. Every other European country regards them unlucky.
The French are the most athletic Europeans. Next come the Dutch. But the Belgians, just over the border, play fewest sports.
The Germans spend twice as much on heating as the Spaniards. Well, of course they do, it’s colder.
Dutch husbands do the household shopping a lot more often than Italians or Spaniards.
The French are the champion public transport commuters(经常往返者)of Europe. If you hate commuting, go and live in the Netherlands, where journeys to work are shorter than anywhere else.
The amount of direct eye-contact between strangers is three times greater among Spaniards than it is among the British or Swedes. So, sharing a lift is a torture for both the British and the Swedish.
There are exceptions to all these rules. Deal with them in the spirit of my 8-year-old daughter. “If you don’t understand each other’s language, just laugh a lot and eat and point at things.”
1.We can know from this passage that______________.
A.sociologist are most interested in the idea of European Union
B.most European countries are not willing to join the European Union
C.Europeans have more differences than similarities
D.trade opportunities exit in the cultural differences in the European Union
2.If you work and live in Belgium, you will______________.
A. have to change your living places often B. not get used to its cold weather
C. seldom sees people playing sports D. be invited to go for a drink frequently
3. The underlined sentence means that the British and Swedish _________________.
A. care about their safety most B. like to appear gentle and smart
C. hate to look at each other face to face D. enjoy a richer life than others
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE about Spain?
A.Spaniards hate direct eye-contact between strangers.
B.Spaniards like to go for a drink after dark.
C.Spaniards spend twice as much on heating as the Germans.
D.In Spain, husbands do more household shopping than those in Italy.
5.In the last paragraph, the author wants to express his idea that ______________.
A.his daughter knows well how to understand foreigners in unfamiliar situations
B.Europeans actually share the same culture even if they have different languages
C.being a European, you will have no living trouble at all in the European Union
D.there are differences between European countries, but don’t take them too seriously
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科目：高中英语 来源：2010-2011学年湖南长郡中学高三年级分班考试英语卷 题型：阅读理解
Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference; in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all time. That's not rudeness— people are just too busy to bother looking.
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they're certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection（沉思）.Nor are they reading a book. New techology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London Underground is an e-book.
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（乘车上下班的人）. Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000-yes, that's 40,000-"apps"(programs downloaded for the iPhone)have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-filler. One "app"，called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination（目的地）. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the "steam" on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction（消遣）of choice. It's not just teenagers who "plug in" to their music-iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren't enough to keep you occupied. Then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm（掌上）DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this distraction, it's amazing that people still remember to get off the train.
1.People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy .
A．going to work
B．reading books
C．thinking private thoughts
D．playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films
2.In Paragraph 4, the underlined word “them” refers to “ ”.
A．habits B． “apps” C．iPhones D．films
3.Those who like war games can download to their iPhones.
A．iShoot B．Tube Exits C．iSteam D．iPod
4.The underlined word "occupied" in the last paragraph probably means .
A．delighted B．busy C．amused D．controlled
5.The article tells us that .
A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers
B．Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 apps
C．technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time
D．with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train.
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科目：高中英语 来源：2010-2011学年湖北天门市高考模拟英语试题（一） 题型：阅读理解
|
AN upper class British lady once declared: “Anyone seen on a bus
after the age of 30 has been a failure in life.”
I guess she meant that if you’re middle aged and don’t have a car then you are a loser. How arrogant (傲慢) and ignorant！
Unfortunately, there are still people who think that way: that somehow public transport is only for the poor. And the rest have a right to their cars. Some wealthy folk in the West look down on buses and boast (吹嘘) about how many years it has been since they last traveled by one.
How sad is that? Our roads are packed with cars and the air is full of the pollution they emit (排放). But still, many car users are unwillingly to get on a bus or a bike or a train to take themselves to work.
It’s convenient to drive, they’ll say. Buses are so unreliable, they’ll claim. And trains are expensive ---- at least in the UK.
It’s an attitude which may have to change. It doesn’t make sense to drive a car in a city where there’s a public transport system. Also, these rush hour commuters (往返上班者) usually travel alone.
As a result, transport authorities in the UK are looking at solutions to city center congestion (拥堵).
One is to increase the number of parking spaces at out-of-town railway stations. More motorists (乘汽车的人) can then leave their cars and travel into the city by train.
Light rail or tramways are another environmentally friendly solution. Many cities across Europe have installed light rail or tramway systems.
The subway in London is used by everyone, rich and poor. It’s the quickest way of getting around the city, whatever your bank balance.
And then there are the cycle hire schemes you find in many modern cities. In London and Paris, you can hire a bike by the hour to get you where you need to go.
While commuters in Beijing abandon their bicycles for cars, cycling to work grows in popularity in the West.
Many cyclists are willing to pay more than 10,000 yuan for their bicycles. Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is often pictured cycling to work. David Cameron, the British prime minister, cycled to the House of Commons before he became leader. These days he takes the prime ministerial limousine (豪华轿车).
1.. According to the article, some British people, like the upper class woman, think that .
A. buses are inconvenient B. bus services are unnecessary
C. having a car is a sign of success D. only the upper class should have cars
2. Which of the following measures is taken by transport authorities in the UK to solve city center congestion?
A. The development of cycle hire schemes.
B. Increasing the number of parking spaces in the city center.
C. Installing light rail or tramway systems in out-of-town areas.
D. Banning commuters from traveling alone during rush hour.
3.The author mentions the example of Boris Johnson in the last paragraph to .
A. express his respect for the mayor of London
B. point to the growing popularity of cycling to work in the West
C. criticize Beijing commuters for abandoning their bicycles for cars
D. show that cars are still the most common means of transportation for famous people in Britain
4. Which of the following might the writer agree with?
A. The British prime minister should give up his limousine.
B. Beijing commuters should learn from British commuters.
C. British solutions to public transport problems are inadequate.
D. Many car owners need to change their attitudes if the traffic problem is to
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