How Good Are US Drivers?
The CBS-TV“National Drivers’ Test”，showed that many US drivers have a lot to learn.Here’s why.
CBS picked 1799 sample drivers to take the test in TV studios in New York，Philadelphia，Chicago，and Los Angeles.More than two out of five of the drivers failed the test.And the average score was the lowest passing mark—51 points out of a possible 80.
Chicago drivers did best with an average of 53 points.Los Angeles drivers came next with 52 points.New York and Philadelphia drivers got 50 points—a failing score.Drivers with 50 points or less were rated“poorly informed”by the judges.
Here are some of the test results:
1.Are men drivers better informed than women ones?
Yes.Men averaged 52 points.Women got an average of 49.
2.Are older drivers better informed than younger drivers?
No.Drivers under 26 averaged 52 points.Drivers from 27 to 45 averaged 51.Drives over 45 failed with a 48-point average.
3.Does education make a difference?
Yes.College graduates averaged 52 points.High school graduates averaged 50.Those without high school diplomas(毕业证) got 48.And people who had taken driver education courses scored an average of 53 points—three more than those who hadn’t.
4.Does driving experience make a difference?
Yes.Drivers with three or more years of experience averaged 51 points.Drivers with less experience averaged 49.
Here are some surprising facts brought out by the test:
1.More than one out of three drivers did not know that a blinking red light means a full stop.
2.Three out of ten drivers did not know that an octagonal(eight-sided)sign means stop.
3.More than two out of three drivers did not know what to do when being“tailgated(追尾)”.
The answer:slow down，drive to the right，and let the driver behind pass.
The results of the test were turned over to the National Safety Council(委员会).They will help future safety planning.

1. 1.

   The author’s purpose is to_________.

   1. A.
      prove that men are better drivers than women
   2. B.
      give you safe driving directions
   3. C.
      tell you the results of a national drivers’ test
   4. D.
      require you to get an education
2. 2.

   From the information in this article，which of the following is TRUE?

   1. A.
      Older drivers are better informed than younger drivers.
   2. B.
      Experience makes a difference among drivers.
   3. C.
      Most drivers failed the test.
   4. D.
      Most people don’ t know what a blinking red light means.
3. 3.

   The test covered the following areas about drivers except_________.

   1. A.
      education
   2. B.
      years of driving experience
   3. C.
      sex
   4. D.
      health
4. 4.

   Which of the following as a group was rated“poorly informed”by the judges?

   1. A.
      Men.
   2. B.
      High school graduated drivers.
   3. C.
      Drivers from 27-45 years of age.
   4. D.
      Drivers with 3 or more years of experience.

How to apply (申请) for a free mailbox (邮箱)? First you have to connect to the Internet and go to the homepage of the ICP providing free mailboxes. Then you will find an icon (图标), an agreement about the rules for using the free mailbox will appear. If you want to go, click the icon “I agree”. Then you have to fill in a form about your basic personal data, and the name and PIN (密码) of the mailbox. The PIN is the key to the mailbox. After finishing these, you will get a mailbox like this：your name @ mail server (for example：tvguide@mail.cctv.com.cn. “tvguide” is the name of the mailbox, and “mail.cctv.com.cn” is the name of the mail server.). The mailbox is separated (分隔) into two parts by a separator “@”, which is read as “at”. The former part is the name of the mailbox. The latter is the domain name (域名) of the mail server. All mails to you will be received by the server and put into your mailbox. You can read these mails on any computer on the Internet in the world, if you have the name and PIN of the mailbox.

If you want to send or receive an e-mail, you should first ____ .

       A. apply for a mailbox   B. buy a computer

       C. go to the post office  D. fill in a form

When you get a FREE mailbox, you can send an e-mail ____ .

       A. by paying some money     B. to anyone

       C. without paying money     D. anywhere

The mailbox’s name in the e-mail address “editor@ew.com.cn.” is ____ .

       A. ew      B. ew.com.cn  C. com.cn       D. editor

The writer mainly wants to tell us how to ____ in this passage.

       A. send a letter by e-mail      B. read the e-mail on computers in the world

       C. get a free mailbox     D. find out one’s e-mail address

We can find the similar information in the book “____”.

       A. Who Moved My Cheese    B. Surfing on the Internet

       C. Bill Gates’ Story D. Harry Potter

How often do you use your car? Can you use your car less often? Do you know the following facts in the UK?

?? About 50% of all car journeys are just for fun.

?? Over 80% people go to work by car.

?? 25% car journeys are under two miles.

?? 70% car journeys are under five miles.

WALKING & CYCLING

Instead of using the car for short journeys, why not walk or ride a bicycle? Walking is a most popular form of exercise—it’s healthy and it can save you money. If you work nearby, try walking or cycling instead of driving. Walking your children to school gives them valuable road experience.

BUSES

Bus companies are using new buses: some run on new fuels which produce less pollution; some have easier access for disabled and old people. There are special traffic lanes (行车道) to make bus journeys easier and more reliable. So do something to help solve the pollution problem—let the bus take you to work and your children to school.

TRAINS

All car journeys, long or short, can be hard work. For some trips it is wiser to take the train. Leave your car at home and walk, cycle or take a bus to and from the station. Train travel is fast, safe and comfortable. Train tickets are not always expensive; some are quite cheap at discount.

The writer believes that ________ can give children valuable road experience.

A. walking to school                                  B. travelling by train

C. taking new fuel buses                           D. having car journeys for fun     

What does the writer think of travelling by train?

A. Tiring.                                                 B. Comfortable.

C. Exciting.                                       D. Awful.

What is the main purpose of this passage?

A. To advise people to use cars less often.

B. To encourage people to travel by train.

C. To teach people how to use the buses.

D. To tell people to obey traffic rules.

How do apology languages work? Have you ever tried to apologize, only to be refused? It may be that you were offering a partial apology in a “language” , that was foreign to your listener．The five languages of apology include:

Apology Language 1: “I am sorry.”

List the hurtful effects of your action．Not “I am sorry if …”, but “I am sorry that…”．You might ask if they want to add any points that you have not recognized.

Apology Language 2:“I was wrong.”

     Name your mistake and accept fault．Note that it is easier to say “You are right” than “ I am wrong”, but the latter carries more weight.

Apology Language 3: “ What can I do to make it right?”

     How are you now? How shall I make amends(弥补) to you? How can I restore your confidence that I love you— even though I was so hurtful to you?

Apology Language 4: “I’ll try not to do that again.”

     Engage in problem-solving．Don’t make excuses for yourself such as, “Well, my day was just so…” Instead, offer what you will change to prevent yourself from putting them in the same bad situation again．

Apology Language 5: “Will you please forgive me?”

      Be patient in seeking forgiveness．They may need some time or greater clarification of your input from Apology Languages 1-4.

      Finally, your apology may not be accepted, but at least you know that you have been faithful in offering a sincere olive branch of peace.

The passage mainly talks about___________

     A．5 tips for apologies that work          B．5 ways of refusing apologies

     C．the function of apology languages       D．the importance of apology languages

According to Paragraph 1, your apology may be refused mainly because________

     A．your listeners can’t understand your dialect.

     B．your listeners can’t hear what you said clearly.

     C．your apology is not sincere.

     D．your apology is not expressed well enough.

When offering an apology, which of the following does the author prefer?

     A．“You are right”                   B．“I am sorry if …”

       C.“I was wrong.”                   D．“Well, my day was just so…”

In the last paragraph, the author tells us even if your apology may not be accepted, at

least ___________.

     A．It’s your fault any more                B．your mind will be at peace

     C．your friend will make peace with you   D．your apology is true to your heart

—How do you _____to her unkindly behavior? —Only silence.

 Which of the following is wrong?

 A．react B．answer C．reply D．respond