The private automobile(私家车) has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.

For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools.

Family life has been affected(影响) in various ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can’t keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws. Mothers of victims(受害者) of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies(悲剧). They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization, SADD(Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading the same message among their friends.

For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans.

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?

A. Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities.

B. Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics.

C. Cars have enabled people to live far from their place of work.

D. Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools.

What has been done to deal with the problem of drunk driving?

A. Parents have paid more attention to their children.

B. Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving.

C. Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol.

D. University students have asked the government to solve the problem.

We can infer from the text that in America.

A. it will be more difficult for people to get new cars

B. parents will not allow their children to have their own cars

C. the government will encourage people to use public transportation

D. cars will still be popular though they have caused many problems

The private automobile（私家车）has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.
For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools.
Family life has been affected（影响）in various ways, The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can't keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws. Mothers of victims（受害者）of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD（Mothers Against Drunk Driving. These women want to prevent further tragedies（悲剧）. They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age, Students have formed a similar organization, SADD（Students Against Drunk Driving）and are spreading the same message among their friends.
For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans.
【小题1】.
. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?

A．Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities.

B．Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics.

C．Cars have enabled people to live far from their place of work.

D．Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools.

【小题2】.. What has been done to deal with the problem of drunk driving?

A．Patents have paid more attention to their children.

B．Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving.

C．Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol.

D．University students have asked the government to solve the problem.

【小题3】. We can infer from the text that ____________ in America.

A．it will be more difficult for people to get new cars

B．parents will not allow their children to have their own cars

C．the government will encourage people to use public transportation

D．cars will still be popular though they have caused many problems

The private automobile has long played an important role in the US. In fact, it has become 1.___necessary and important part of the American life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned 2.__least one car, and thirty-eight percent had 3.___than one. With the convenience of rapid transportation, workers don’t have to live near their workplace. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, 4.___it has also led to traffic problems.

For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made 5.___ possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure.

Family life has been affected in 6.___ways. The car helps to keep families together. However, when teenage children use the car, their parents can’t keep an eye on them. There is a great danger 7.____the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs or breaking 8._____ traffic laws.

Cars mean very much to Americans.

 

The new automobile fuel economy standards formally adopted by the Obama administration on Thursday will produce a series of benefits: reduced dependence on foreign oil, fewer greenhouse gas emissions(排放), and consumer savings at the pump.

This was truly a moment to celebrate. But it was tempered by the fact that some in Congress are trying to cancel the laws that made the new standards possible.

The standards will require automakers to build passenger cars, sport-utility vehicles and minivans that average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016 — a 30 percent increase over today’s cars, and the biggest single jump in fuel economy since the original standards were adopted in the 1970s. Cars will cost more, but the government estimates that consumers will save an average of $3,000 in fuel over the life of a new vehicle.

The standards will also place the first-ever limits on automobile greenhouse gas emissions, and are expected to reduce emissions by 21 percent by 2030 compared with what the output would have been without the standards. Because emissions from passenger vehicles represent about one-fifth of America’s greenhouse gases, this is a step forward for the planet.

The automakers, who fought the rules until they went broke（破产）, have come to accept this as a step forward as well. A single national standard provides regulatory certainty, and they’ve got to get more efficient to survive.

However, some in Congress seemed determined to roll back the laws that got us here. Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, and several other senators have added a challenge to the federal government’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act — not just from automobiles but from other sources. The Supreme Court gave the Environmental Protection Agency that authority three years ago, and the new emissions standards would have been impossible without it.

There has also been talk in the Senate of eliminating California’s special authority under the Clean Air Act to set more aggressive motor vehicle standards than the federal limits. California used that authority to pass a law in 2002 setting greenhouse gas emissions limits for cars sold there. It was the first law of its kind in this country, and it provided the drive and the foundation for the new nationwide standards.

What all of these opponents mean to do is to roll back history and the hard-won environmental protections it has produced. That would be a huge mistake.

66. The following are the benefits of the new automobile economy standards EXCEPT ________.

A. reduced dependence on foreign oil

B. cancelling some of the laws

C. fewer greenhouse gas emissions

D. consumer savings at the pump

67. What goal is set for the year 2016?

A. Cars will cost more so fewer people will buy them.

B. There is a 30 percent increase in car manufacturing.

C. An average vehicle can go 35.5 miles with one gallon of gas.

D. Consumers will save an average of $3,000 in fuel per car.

68. The underlined word “it” in paragraph six refers to ________.

A. The Clean Air Act

B. The Supreme Court

C. The Environment Protection Agency

D. The federal government’s authority

69. What seems to be the root of the new automobile fuel economy standards?

A. California’s motor vehicle standards.

B. The Environment Protection Agency.

C. Some Senators, like Lisa Murkowski.

D. Greenhouse gas emissions.

70. According to the writer, the new automobile fuel economy standards will probably lead to the result that ________.

A. everyone wins

B. more cars will be sold

C. it would be a big mistake

D. nobody agrees

 

The private automobile(私家车) has long played an important role in the United States. In fact, it has become a necessary and important part of the American way of life. In 1986, sixty-nine percent of American families owned at least one car, and thirty-eight percent had more than one. By giving workers rapid transportation, the automobile has freed them from having to live near their place of work. This has encouraged the growth of the cities, but it has also led to traffic problems.

For farm families the automobile is very helpful. It has made it possible for them to travel to town very often for business and for pleasure, and also to transport their children to distant schools.

Family life has been affected(影响) in various ways. The car helps to keep families together when it is used for picnics, outings, and other shared experiences. However, when teenage children have the use of the car, their parents can’t keep an eye on them. There is a great danger if the driver has been drinking alcohol or taking drugs, or showing off by speeding or breaking down traffic laws. Mothers of victims(受害者) of such accidents have formed an organization called MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving). These women want to prevent further tragedies(悲剧). They have worked to encourage the government to limit the youngest drinking age. Students have formed a similar organization, SADD(Students Against Drunk Driving) and are spreading the same message among their friends.

For many Americans the automobile is a necessity. But for some, it is also a mark of social position and for young people, a sign of becoming an adult. Altogether, cars mean very much to Americans.

1.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?

A. Cars have encouraged the growth of the cities.

B. Cars can bring families together when they go for picnics.

C. Cars have enabled people to live far from their place of work.

D. Cars help city families to transport their children to faraway schools.

2.What has been done to deal with the problem of drunk driving?

A. Parents have paid more attention to their children.

B. Some organizations have been set up against drunk driving.

C. Mothers have tried to persuade their children not to drink alcohol.

D. University students have asked the government to solve the problem.

3.We can infer from the text that in America.

A. it will be more difficult for people to get new cars

B. parents will not allow their children to have their own cars

C. the government will encourage people to use public transportation

D. cars will still be popular though they have caused many problems